Luisa
Content Warning: These stories are about violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation and may include references to suicide or self-harming behaviours. They may contain graphic descriptions and strong language and may be distressing. Some narratives may be about First Nations people who have passed away. If you need support, please see Contact & support.
‘Just like we build a ramp for people with physical disability for them to easily access a building, we do need to accommodate [people with other disability] even when it represents only a small number of the population.’
Luisa is in her 50s and has Asperger’s syndrome. She was born in China.
‘Since I was three I always wonder what's wrong with me,’ Luisa told the Royal Commission. ‘But I'm very bright when I was a kid, you know. It's just the social side of it, I just couldn't navigate it.’
A decade ago Luisa enrolled in a university psychology course. She told staff she has a disability and asked for small classes.
‘I cannot process conversation. Like multiple conversations … so it's very hard to, you know, grasp in a big group.’
Luisa said she was placed in small classes, but felt labelled and harassed.
‘From there they just start to look at me in a different way … they just started stalking.’
Luisa transferred to another university where the harassment continued.
‘They just give me a hard time …. they're hacking my phone, hacking my computer, and it's just horrendous. I don't know why they are so into this kind of thing.’
When she complained, the university expelled her.
‘I was thinking, “Oh my God, I'm actually excellent student,” you know. I love those content. Why you expel me, you know? And all I'm lonely. I just want a good environment for me to learn better.’
When Luisa moved to another university, the harassment stopped. She’s now halfway through her course, but regrets telling them about her having Asperger’s syndrome.
‘I just feel like if I hadn't provided them my diagnosis report, next to nothing would have happened … I thought maybe I shouldn't let them know. It's damaging me … I can hide it. But the thing is if people have to hide that condition in order to be able to fit in, I think then society is wrong.’
Luisa said students with Asperger’s syndrome are highly intelligent, but ‘have this deep ability [to] often mask their ability’.
‘I think that society needs more of us … if you don’t have people like us that go to the classrooms or you know, to do whatever, there would be even less chance to understand us.’
Disclaimer: This is the story of a person who shared their personal experience with the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability through a submission or private session. The names in this story are pseudonyms. The person who shared this experience was not a witness and their account is not evidence. They did not take an oath or affirmation before providing the story. Nothing in this story constitutes a finding of the Royal Commission. Any views expressed are those of the person who shared their experience, not of the Royal Commission.