Witnesses to the Disability Royal Commission urge for real action and ‘no more talk’

Disability advocate Akii Ngo’s spinal cord injury was the result of intimate partner violence. They bore all to the disability royal commission. Now they want action.

Disability advocate Akii Ngo with their dogs Jojo, Ponyo and Arri. Picture: Valeriu Campan

“Never air your dirty laundry.” That was the mantra Melbourne disability advocate Akii Ngo grew up with.

Speaking about the mental and physical challenges of their spinal injury would be taboo culturally, let alone laying bare the intimate partner violence that caused it.

“Every time I’m crying in pain, every time but I can’t move my body, every time I can’t get out of bed … I’m reminded of that violence. So I have to live with that,” Ngo said.

“It sounds morbid, but there are days (I think), would I have been better off (if), you know, they killed me, rather than just injured me? Because now I have to live with this agony.”

Living with the trauma of domestic violence and a range of disabilities – including chronic disabling pain, complex post-traumatic stress disorder, autism, ADHD and a spinal injury – is deeply personal, but sharing the story with the disability royal commission was something Ngo knew they had to do.

“It was a lot. You have to relive your trauma … and share your deepest, darkest and most painful experiences,” Ngo said.

“(But) I asked myself, if I am too afraid to share my story, how do I expect others to?

“It was overwhelming, it’s a lot, but also when you’re in a room full of people that are not in their head and recognise that, it’s validating, and when it’s been put on official records of this royal commission that the government is taking seriously, you feel like you’re listened to.”

More than one woman a week is killed by a current or former partner, while those with a disability are about twice as likely to experience intimate partner violence.

The disability royal commission also heard that women with disabilities were far less likely to access services in relation to violence, with less than 3 per cent of calls made to 1800RESPECT in 2020 by someone with a disability or on behalf of someone with a disability.

Commission chair Ronald Sackville said violence against those with a disability had been “hidden or ignored”.

“Violence against, and abuse of, women and girls with disability is, if anything, even more pervasive,” he said at the opening of a hearing last year.

“It has been hidden or ignored to an even greater extent. So too has violence and abuse against LGBTQI+ people with disability.”

As part of its recommendations handed down on Friday, the commission called for a separate five-year Action Plan for Women and Children With Disability to sit alongside the National Plan to End Violence against Women and Children 2022-2032.

Ngo said while the recommendation was “something”, it was not nearly enough given the number of disabled people dying at the hands of current and former partners.

“When it does happen, that five-year plan should be set up as urgently as possible … an overhaul and systemic change needs to happen, breaking down barriers, stigma (and increasing) access to support, care and dignity” they said.

“Over 4½ years, we’ve essentially poured our hearts and souls out to you about the abuse, exploitation, neglect, and a whole bunch of other horrendous things that people genuinely cannot believe have happened … You’ve acknowledged it, now what are you going to do about it?”

Sydney-based Olivia Davis told the commission about the challenge of finding suitable accommodation and said she also hoped the outcome of the 4½-year process would not just be “more talk”.