Barrier-free communication, exchanges with people with disabilities, training for counseling staff: Necla Parlak, Managing Director of insieme Basel, explains in an interview how people with disabilities can be better protected from violence.
Last year, the Federal Council presented various measures to ensure that people with disabilities do not become victims of violence.
These do not go far enough for the associations and institutions of disabled people’s organizations and industry associations.
They have demanded additional steps from the federal government.
Ms. Parlak, how do you assess the situation of people with disabilities who are affected by violence?
What has changed since the Federal Council report was published?
Necla Parlak: The situation of people with disabilities affected by violence remains a serious challenge.
Despite increasing awareness and legal measures aimed at protecting and promoting the rights of people with disabilities, they are still at an increased risk of becoming victims of violence.
This risk is often higher than for people without disabilities.
This has been shown by the Federal Council’s report.
Why are faster improvements not possible?
Raising awareness of the issue and reducing structural discrimination does not happen overnight.
The inclusion initiative, which was recently submitted in Bern, is a milestone – it raises awareness of discrimination against people with disabilities.
Measures to achieve equality and promote the participation of people with disabilities make an important contribution to reducing structural violence.
Where do you see concrete progress?
The Federal Council’s report has sensitized the relevant authorities to the issue of violence against people with disabilities, which has already led to initial measures being taken.
Opferhilfe beider Basel has taken an important step by hiring a specialist with experience in counseling people with disabilities.
Raising awareness and training the counseling staff for the specific needs of this target group is of central importance.
Based on your experience, where do you see the greatest need for action?
I see a great need for action for people with cognitive impairments in the barrier-free communication of advisory services.
This can be addressed promptly.
This involves both the use of easy-to-understand language and the selection of suitable information channels in order to communicate the services effectively and accessibly.
At insieme Basel, we have found that a large proportion of our clients do not have access to the digital world due to their cognitive abilities.
However, many offers that are not specifically designed for people with disabilities are increasingly only advertised digitally, which represents a significant barrier.
But even for those who are digitally active, there are numerous hurdles, such as the clarity of the website or the comprehensibility of the language used.
Where do you still see areas where adjustments are needed?
There is also a great need for action for people with severe cognitive impairments who are unable to use external services independently.
For example, people who are unable to express themselves.
This group is often overlooked when planning measures.
What is needed here are low-threshold services on site, careful staff selection, regular staff training and clear action plans.
Disability associations and institutions are demanding that counseling providers such as Opferhilfe beider Basel proactively approach the target group of people with disabilities.
How can this work in practice?
The services offered by Opferhilfe beider Basel can be formulated barrier-free and disseminated via accessible channels.
Disability support institutions have extensive databases with contacts to people with disabilities.
Advice providers can also proactively approach the target group by visiting residential institutions, workplaces and day structures for people with disabilities and presenting their services there in a low-threshold manner.
In addition, advice providers and disability support institutions can jointly develop workshops to carry out targeted awareness-raising work.
This could also be implemented in a peer-to-peer format.
For example, by recruiting a person with a cognitive impairment to draw attention to the service.
However, this raises the question of the necessary resources and funding.
The federal government and cantons must provide the necessary financial resources for this.
What protective measures do you implement in your offers?
We place our clients at the center of everything we do and maintain a culture of open communication.
The applicable rules and standards are communicated openly with them, as well as with our employees.
A culture of scrutiny and transparency guides our actions.
In institutions for the disabled, employees play a key role in preventing violence.
We therefore take a thorough and careful approach when recruiting staff.
Clients are regularly sensitized and employees are trained.
Insieme Basel implements a prevention concept that provides instructions for action and clearly defines communication channels.
The association maintains a quality management system.
Concepts are regularly audited internally and externally.
Furthermore, all emergency numbers, including the number of the ombudsman’s office of the Canton of Basel-Stadt, are clearly displayed for all to see in the common rooms of our residential groups.
Link: Insieme Basel
Further information
Victim Support beider Basel
Steinengraben 5
CH-4051 Basel
