Simon and Alice
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.
Simon has physical and intellectual disability. In the early 2000s he worked in a disability enterprise, which he loved. He had friends there and it was important to his mental health. Simon’s sister, Alice, told us how that ended one day, when he was raped by one of the workers.
In her submission, Alice describes what happened next. She reported the attack to the police. Simon was interviewed by the sexual assault unit and by a psychiatrist, who confirmed that Simon’s behaviour was consistent with having been raped.
Alice says she also reported the attack to the management of the disability enterprise, who acknowledged that something had happened to Simon but did not use the word ‘rape’.
When Simon told his family what happened and recounted it again when they reported it, he had to relive the trauma. However, the police did not proceed with the charges as there were no witnesses to the rape and the prosecutors said Simon would not make a good witness at trial.
Simon would not return to the disability enterprise. Since the rape, Alice said, he’s been scared of men and difficult to take out. He no longer has contact with his friends from the disability enterprise and has spent 10 years socially isolated in his room.
Alice said the disability enterprise never followed up with Simon or offered him a position anywhere else.
‘We were totally disappointed at the lack of care and concern expressed for Simon when this awful thing happened to him.’
Simon was offered a position at a different disability enterprise a decade later when Alice got the local member of parliament involved. But he was unable to interact with the other people there as he was afraid of men and physical contact. He was scared both at the disability enterprise and on the bus getting there, Alice said. He stopped going there and now relies on a female carer to take him out.
Alice believes that Simon was raped because of his physical and intellectual disabilities and because his attacker didn’t think that Simon would be able to report the attack or that people would believe him.
‘Our concern is that the rapist faced no consequences. He had the ability to continue and perhaps next time rape somebody who cannot speak …
‘Disabled people need to be believed when they tell us about abuse and violence, and special allowance needs to be made in courts so the perpetrators can be brought to justice.’
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.