What Australia’s Reports Reveal About Abuse in the Deaf Community

Australia’s Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation of People with Disability sheds light on a deeply troubling reality: Deaf individuals face disproportionately high rates of abuse, neglect, and exploitation. This March 2021 report, prepared by the Centre of Research Excellence in Disability and Health, offers a sobering insight into the challenges Deaf individuals face and the urgent need for systemic reform.

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The Grim Reality

The Royal Commission found that Deaf individuals are not only at higher risk of abuse but often face abuse that is uniquely tied to their disability. This includes:

1. Weaponized Communication Barriers:
   • Perpetrators exploit the lack of access to Auslan (Australian Sign Language) interpreters to isolate and control Deaf individuals.
   • Abusers often manipulate communication to undermine victims’ autonomy, distort information, or prevent them from seeking help.
2. Systemic Neglect:
   • Deaf individuals frequently encounter barriers when trying to access essential services like healthcare, education, and legal aid.
   • Institutions often fail to provide interpreters or accessible resources, leaving Deaf individuals without the tools they need to report abuse or advocate for their rights.
3. Social Isolation:
   • Many Deaf individuals are isolated from their communities due to the dual challenges of communication barriers and systemic neglect.
   • Abusers use this isolation to increase their control, knowing that victims have limited avenues for support.

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Abuse Faced by Deaf Australians

The report highlighted several forms of abuse that Deaf individuals endure:

1. Physical and Sexual Violence:
   • Deaf women are particularly vulnerable, with significantly higher rates (2x-3x) of physical and sexual violence compared to their hearing peers.
   • Limited access to interpreters during medical or legal proceedings often results in underreporting and lack of justice for victims.
2. Psychological Abuse:
   • Emotional manipulation and gaslighting are common, with abusers exploiting communication barriers to demean and control victims.
   • Many Deaf individuals report feeling disbelieved or dismissed when trying to disclose abuse.
3. Economic Exploitation:
   • Deaf individuals are often financially controlled by abusers who exploit their limited access to financial literacy education or resources.
4. Institutional Abuse:
   • Reports of neglect and mistreatment in institutional settings highlight the systemic failures to accommodate Deaf individuals’ needs.
     • Examples of Institutional Abuse of Deaf Individuals
       • Healthcare Settings:
         • Denied Interpreters
         • Medical Neglect
       • Legal and Law Enforcement Settings:
         • Unfair Treatment in Police Interrogations
         • Failure to Report Abuse
       • Educational Institutions
         • Neglect in Schools
         • Abuse in Residential Schools for the Deaf:
       • Employment Discrimination
         • Lack of Accommodations
       • Social Services and Shelters
         • Inaccessible Domestic Violence Shelters

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The Royal Commission’s Call for Change

The Royal Commission’s findings included strong recommendations to address these systemic issues and protect Deaf individuals from violence and neglect:

1. Improved Accessibility:
   • Make interpreters and accessible communication tools readily available in all essential services, including healthcare, legal aid, and social support.
2. Specialized Training:
   • Train service providers, law enforcement, and healthcare professionals to understand the unique challenges faced by Deaf individuals and how to address them effectively.
3. Inclusive Policy Development:
   • Governments and organizations must involve Deaf individuals in creating policies and programs to ensure they are truly inclusive and effective.
4. Enhanced Support Systems:
   • Provide Deaf survivors of abuse with specialized counseling, advocacy services, and accessible shelters.

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Emerging research in the UK underscores the profound impact of domestic abuse on Deaf individuals and their children, highlighting the urgent need for comprehensive studies to inform effective interventions.

Children as Language Brokers and Co-Victims

A pioneering study by Heriot-Watt University is investigating the unique challenges faced by children of Deaf mothers in abusive environments. Often, these children are compelled to act as interpreters during abusive incidents, exposing them to trauma and positioning them as co-victims. This role not only subjects them to psychological harm but also places undue responsibility on their shoulders.

Intergenerational Transmission of Trauma

The phenomenon of intergenerational trauma involves the transfer of trauma effects from one generation to the next. In Deaf families, this can manifest through:

• Behavioral Patterns: Children may internalize maladaptive coping mechanisms observed in their parents, perpetuating cycles of abuse and dysfunction.
• Emotional Inheritance: Unresolved trauma can lead to emotional detachment or hypervigilance, affecting parent-child relationships and the child’s future interactions.
• Epigenetic Changes: Emerging studies suggest that trauma can induce biological changes, potentially altering stress responses in subsequent generations.

Impact on Hearing Children of Deaf Parents

Hearing children of Deaf parents, often referred to as Codas (Children of Deaf Adults), face distinct challenges:

• Role Reversal: Acting as intermediaries in abusive situations can blur parent-child boundaries, leading to confusion and stress.
• Emotional Burden: Exposure to parental abuse and the responsibility of interpreting traumatic events can result in anxiety, depression, and other mental health issues.
• Social Isolation: The dual pressures of challenging family dynamics and responsibilities in addition to potential communication barriers can isolate these children from their peers, impacting their social development.

A Global Call to Action

Addressing the multifaceted impact of domestic abuse in Deaf communities requires:

• Comprehensive Research: Further collaborative and global studies are essential to understand the specific experiences of Deaf individuals and their children in abusive contexts.
• Tailored Support Services: Developing accessible resources that support the unique needs of Deaf survivors and their families is crucial.
• Policy Reform: Implementing policies that recognize and address the distinct challenges faced by Deaf individuals and their children can foster a more inclusive and supportive environment.

By deepening our understanding and enhancing support systems, we can work towards breaking the cycle of abuse and mitigating its intergenerational effects within Deaf communities.

Australia’s report is a wake-up call—not just for their country but for the world. It highlights the systemic barriers that Deaf individuals face and the ways in which these barriers enable abuse. By implementing the Royal Commission’s recommendations, Australia has the opportunity to lead the way in creating a more inclusive and supportive society.

We can all learn from this report. Let’s take this as an opportunity to amplify Deaf and Coda voices, push for systemic change, and ensure that no one is left unheard. Abuse is never acceptable, and together, we can work toward a world where Deaf individuals and their children live as free from violence, neglect, and exploitation as everyone else.

To learn more:

• Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect, and Exploitation of People with Disability
  Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability. (2021). Nature and extent of violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation against people with disability in Australia. Centre of Research Excellence in Disability and Health. Retrieved from Royal Commission Final Report
• Intersection of Disability and Domestic Violence
  Centre of Research Excellence in Disability and Health. (2021). Intersectionality in violence and disability: Addressing system failures. Melbourne School of Population and Global Health. Available at: CRE-DH Resources
• Abuse Tactics and Barriers
  Heriot-Watt University Research. (2021). Interpreting Trauma: How Deaf individuals experience abuse through communication barriers. Retrieved from Heriot-Watt Research Outputs
• Letico, V. (2024, July 11). Deaf women are twice as likely to experience domestic violence: How perpetrators weaponise disability. The Conversation. Retrieved from https://theconversation.com/deaf-women-are-twice-as-likely-to-experience-domestic-violence-how-perpetrators-weaponise-disability-233873
• CODAs and Trauma
  Smith, L., & Schembri, A. (2020). Children of Deaf Adults: Navigating trauma and resilience in bicultural families. Journal of Deaf Studies and Education, 25(3), 345–362. DOI: 10.1093/deafed/ena345
• Institutional Barriers
  Human Rights Commission. (2021). Barriers to Justice: Examining accessibility for people with disabilities in Australia. Available at: Australian Human Rights Commission
• Intergenerational Trauma and Abuse
  Van der Kolk, B. A. (2014). The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma. Viking Press. Focused on trauma transmission in family systems.
• Policy Recommendations
  Australian Law Reform Commission. (2021). Recommendations for improving accessibility in domestic violence services. Retrieved from ALRC Reports