Who does that body belong to? The sexuality of women with Down Syndrome

Abstract:

The sexuality of women with disabilities has been treated as a taboo by mothers and people who work very closely with these women. The present research aimed to analyze the narratives of mothers and professionals about the sexuality of women with Down Syndrome (DS). For this, interviews were carried out with mothers of people with DS and with professionals who work directly with such individuals. The results show that silence is the norm. The research participants were visibly uncomfortable talking about the topic and when they did, they said that women with Down Syndrome are not independent when it comes to their own bodies. One of the serious consequences of the denial of the basic right by their bodies is the high number of sexual violence suffered by women with Down Syndrome.

Keywords:
Sexuality; Down's Syndrome; Body