Temperance
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.
‘My university experience was like everything I had experienced, plus more, on steroids, the worst yet.’
Temperance, mid-30s, has a vision impairment, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, scotopic sensitivity syndrome, photophobia and anxiety.
In high school, Temperance had to constantly remind teachers to provide reasonable adjustments. She had to organise and chase up materials in accessible formats, always ‘on catch-up’ with the information. She told the Royal Commission she found it ironic the school expected a person with executive function issues to organise, sequence and plan their own learning materials.
Temperance’s first time at university was an ‘okay experience from an accessibility perspective … not perfect … but it was a lot better’.
In gaining her second degree, however, she experienced abuse ‘on a daily basis’.
Prior to commencing, Temperance gave the university comprehensive information about her disabilities and the reasonable adjustments she needed.
She required a screen reader, extra time to prepare for lectures and during exams. She also required lecturers to provide slides, handouts and exams in electronic format in advance so that she could read the material using adaptive technology and software.
The university agreed but required Temperance to register for reasonable adjustments each semester, even though her disability is permanent. The university also required her to speak to her lecturers in person and explain her disability and the reasonable adjustments she needed. Temperance ‘struggled a bit’ turning up and introducing herself as ‘the student with a disability’ and ‘hoping they respect that’. She said most of the time they did. ‘But I was an inconvenience a lot of the time, too.’
Nonetheless, most of the time lecturers ‘forgot’ to provide the material in an accessible format beforehand. The lecturer would hand out printed notes and suggest Temperance email them after the lecture and ‘remind them’ to send an electronic copy. She got sick of hearing, ‘Oops, sorry. I forgot … Oh, you’ll have to sit this one out and do it on your own later.’
‘I wasn’t able to learn. I wasn’t able to participate and do what everyone else was doing.’
Some lecturers told her they were trying ‘to save [her] from finding out the hard way’ she wouldn’t be able to work as a medical professional. At one meeting a staff member asked, ‘Should she really be at university with a disability?’ Temperance pointed out as it was her second degree, ‘it is possible’.
Sometimes the university paid other students to take notes for Temperance. These students were not trained to take notes and the notes often weren’t good. Temperance was eventually able to hire a professional note taker. Some lecturers assumed the note taker was her assistant and could organise the reasonable adjustments.
‘I had to complain. I had to drive the complaint. I had to take flak for the complaints … I just became this problem they needed to get rid of and deal with.’
Temperance’s mental health deteriorated. She couldn’t go to class and was ‘shaking and crying’ and started seeing a university counsellor.
Around this time Temperance made a complaint to an anti-discrimination commission. ‘[The university] played a very dirty game,’ she said. They questioned her disability and refused to engage or comply. She believes the commission ‘either doesn’t have powers or doesn’t use them’.
When the counselling service handed over Temperance’s treatment notes to the university without her consent it was ‘the final straw’. She took the university to court seeking an apology and for the university to change their processes. The university dragged the matter out for more than 12 months. ‘[I was] shocked at the level of games they were playing, and how hard they were working to cost me more.’
Eventually Temperance could no longer bear the financial and emotional costs. She settled and signed a non-disclosure agreement.
‘I was discriminated against. I had evidence that I was discriminated against. I was not provided an appropriate justice process that did not cost money. And then I was the one who was silenced.’
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.