Authority seeks measures to help disabled people report abuse
The National Disability Authority has called for the removal of barriers that prevent disabled people from reporting physical and sexual abuse.
Speaking ahead of a seminar on the matter in Dublin today, authority spokeswoman Iris Elliot said many people with disabilities did not report abuse because of communication barriers and other factors like accessibility of garda stations, refuges and other support centres.
Ms Elliot also said people with intellectual disabilities and mental health problems in particular were often not believed when they reported abuse.
The National Disability Authority said international research had found that disabled people were three times more likely to experience violence than the rest of the population.
