Ki and Tobi
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.
Ki, in his mid-30s, is cognitively impaired and has the mental age of a young child. His friend Tobi told the Royal Commission he was concerned about the care provided by Ki’s support worker, Marco.
Tobi says Marco has a history of violence, including towards him. Marco has been violent in front of Ki, though not to him, and in Ki’s mind this behaviour has become normalised. Now Ki has learned to be violent as well.
‘[Marco] has shown [Ki] his explosive temper, right, that's caused [Ki] to go to work and do exactly the same as [Marco] did,’ Tobi said. ‘[Ki] has gone to work at the sheltered workshop and been violent towards other people. And that's caused him to lose his job twice now.’
Tobi considered taking out a restraining order against Marco for some time and finally did so. Marco retaliated by taking one out against Tobi, which prevents him from speaking to Marco and from contacting anyone at the service provider Marco works for.
Tobi’s wants to ensure Marco stops providing support to Ki.
‘[Ki] would be a lovely man, but the way he is now you don't want to be around him, you know, and that's because of [Marco]. And somebody has to do something about it.’
Tobi has reported Ki’s situation to an abuse hotline and to the NDIS Quality and Safeguards Commission, but can’t get anyone to take his concerns seriously.
‘Everyone's told me to piss off,’ he said.
The NDIS told him they can’t intervene for ‘legal reasons’.
‘The legal reasons are that [Ki] is the person who has to make the complaint.’
Tobi can’t see a way to improve Ki’s situation.
‘Because you have to go through idiots like the national abuse hotline, right? So I can't affect how [Ki]’s life will pan out other than to remove him from [Marco], but then I have the fear that the next person they're going to allow to look after [Ki] is going to be just as bad.’
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.