Charlene
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.
‘I have advocated for myself positively through all these experiences, and I’m not listened to. It’s like, because it’s invisible, it doesn’t exist.’
Charlene is in her 30s and lives with functional neurological disorder (FND).
‘Parts of my brain stopped talking to each other,’ Charlene told the Royal Commission. ‘It initially started with blackout, an inability to talk … [I] was paralysed, seizures all the time, not able to communicate with anything but my eyes … And my husband having to basically stop working and look after me.’
Before being diagnosed with FND several years ago, Charlene was teaching at a university and finishing a PhD.
‘The university system, they just were like, “You’re sick, okay, come back to us,” and only when I tried to connect with them … just before the end of the year, they were like, “When are you coming back? Hurry up and get back.”’
Charlene asked the university for reasonable adjustments to let her return to her study and work.
‘They were like, “Well, we don’t have anyone with a disability in the postgraduate area. So, we don’t know how to help you and we don’t have any financial supports for you.” … You know, it was, like, “Sorry, good luck.”’
Charlene had to leave her study and job.
‘Anyone that I know who has had a disability in that sector has just been pushed out. The [university is] like, “They’re just not performing or they’re not able to do it.” Multiple people with research scholarships etcetera all just pushed out.’
After leaving the university, Charlene entered the graduate program of a government department, which asked her to complete her studies but promised to make reasonable adjustments.
‘Sounds great, got in … They weren’t ready … They would just use the whole, “She’s not performing,” when, realistically, it was all about them. Simple things such as not providing an appropriate workstation, not providing the appropriate work. Sometimes even not actually stimulating me mentally enough.’
Charlene said her FND ‘flared up really badly’ and she couldn’t finish her study.
‘They kicked me off the graduate program.’
Instead, she was given a part-time job in the same office.
‘I wasn’t allowed to progress because I wasn’t there five days full time. Other individuals, because I was [at that time] performing well, used my disability as a reason to not allow me to promote or get promoted.’
Charlene told the Royal Commission she’s on extended leave because her workplace hasn’t found a solution.
‘I’ve had to give them all the solutions, [but] I may have to quit because it’s that bad … I’ve had to bring up the word “discrimination” multiple times now. We’ll see how that goes.’
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.