Romi
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.
‘We have all these specialist family violence services … but no-one actually is equipped to deal with people with disability, nor is the concept of accessibility [explained] to them.’
Romi, an experienced family violence worker and trauma counsellor, told the Royal Commission about two ‘individuals in [her] lifespan and experience that stick in [her] mind’.
Jan, who had disability as a result of several strokes, had experienced domestic violence. At the time Romi met her, she was using a wheelchair and living in a care facility.
Jan’s husband would come to her residence in the evening, take her medication and sexually abuse her.
‘Some of the care workers were fantastic because they were so proactive in marking down bruising that they saw that was unexplained.’
Romi helped Jan obtain a family violence intervention order.
Romi wanted to continue to support Jan by providing trauma counselling, but her employer wanted her to refer Jan to another service. However there were long waiting lists, and counsellors were reluctant to see Jan because they didn’t have the skills to work with people with disability.
Romi ignored her employer and provided support to Jan, until her employer suspended her.
Romi found another job working with children in the foster system.
The case management system couldn’t locate Asa, one of her clients.
‘There was nothing in our system for this young boy with disabilities to say that he'd moved.’
Romi tracked him down through his previous foster family.
When Romi met Asa she discovered he wasn’t getting the disability supports he needed.
Asa needed glasses, but the department hadn’t done anything about it. The department hadn’t bought him new splints for his shoes for more than two years. They had also failed to fund a helmet, which his therapists had repeatedly requested to keep him safe during epileptic fits. He’d also never been to a speech therapist despite being ‘referred to as non-verbal’. ‘No-one took any notice,’ said Romi.
Asa’s foster carers were a same sex couple. His brother’s foster carers had homophobic views and wouldn’t let the boys see each other.
Romi said the new foster carers were fantastic. She has been able to review Asa’s case and get him some of the support he needs.
‘Every time I would go and see him in his new foster placement, he was just moving in leaps and bounds. His speech, he was talking more. He was helping in the kitchen. He had modified little knives and everything. He was going out!’
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.