A Journey of Empowerment and Advocacy for Sexual Rights

We asked Tema, our Positive Behaviour Support Manager, to share her journey working with an autistic individual and advocating for their sexual rights.

In the realm of disability advocacy, every individual's journey is unique and profoundly impactful. For the purpose of this post, I’d like to highlight my experience of and professional growth from working with an autistic person exhibiting sexualised behaviours using a positive behaviour support framework. This has been nothing short of transformative for me, both professionally and personally. Through this journey, I've discovered a deep-seated passion for advocating for sexual rights for disabled individuals, highlighting the critical intersection of personal autonomy, emotional well-being, and inclusive support systems.

When I first began working with this person, their struggles with sexualised behaviours posed significant challenges. They were constantly frustrated (demonstrating aggressive outbursts verbally and towards the environment). They were ostracised from society for their "inappropriate" behaviours towards members of the public and excluded from a range of recreational and community groups due to the discomfort experienced by other people. They could not keep their regular support staff onboard due to the carer's distress and burnout. Traditional approaches often focused on managing these behaviours reactively, which led to a sense of diminished autonomy for them. It became clear that a paradigm shift was needed—one that prioritised understanding, support, and empowerment.

While I tried to target the behaviours via a prosocial and person-centred approach under positive behaviour support, I needed some guidance and expertise from the likes of a psychologist and a sexologist to strengthen the person’s ability to work towards seeking connection with a partner. I was fortunate enough to walk into this person’s team with established psychology services, which was instrumental in complementing my suggested strategies focused on emotional regulation, validation and acknowledgement of feelings, and finding physical regulation strategies to counteract the risks associated with the physical outbursts that transpired. After advocating for nearly a year and a half for sexology services, we finally found a stellar professional within this field, with whom I collaborated and integrated their expertise to foster a holistic understanding of the person’s needs and aspirations. This collaboration was pivotal in creating tailored strategies that addressed their behaviours whilst nurturing an improved ability of sexual expression, increased body awareness, and ultimately promoted a sense of empowerment.

One innovative strategy we implemented was the use of role-play scenarios. These scenarios were designed to reduce (and successfully eliminate!) one of the identified restrictive practices in place and enhance the person’s understanding of social boundaries and appropriate behaviour. Through structured, supportive role-play, they gained confidence, learned to begin navigating social cues and gradually demonstrated skills in replacing challenging behaviours with positive interactions. This was further targeted via the excellent and interactive SECCA app, which is a respected and renowned Western Australia-based organisation that creates unique visually-led resources to fill the gap in sexuality education for people with alternate learning styles, and for everyone building their comfort and knowledge in this area.

The results were profound. As the person gained a deeper understanding of their emotions and boundaries, periods of frustration and aggression decreased significantly. Their newfound sense of autonomy empowered them to engage more meaningfully with the environment and develop healthier relationships by accessing services such as the Dateability workshops, giving a red-hot-go at online dating via the CLIQ Connection dating app, and engaging with support provided by the person’s Allied Health team and Hessel Group’s Positive Behaviour Support team, including a team of excellent support workers whose values align nicely with what we’re all trying to achieve! Moreover, the positive changes extended beyond behavioural improvements. The person began to express themselves more confidently and assert their rights in various aspects of their life.

Of course, this is a work in progress - there are times when the person needs additional support when dealing with rejection or when being faced with a situation/environment with personalities they may not have had the opportunity to interact with prior. However, their team and I continue to be proud of how far they have come since first working with them a couple of years ago. This journey has instilled in me a profound commitment to advocating for sexual rights for disabled individuals. It's crucial to recognise that every person, regardless of ability, has the right to explore and express their sexuality in a safe, supported, and dignified manner. By promoting awareness, challenging stigma, and advocating for inclusive policies, we can create environments where all individuals can thrive and exercise their fundamental rights.

Working with this person has been a journey of learning, growth, and advocacy. By embracing positive behaviour support, collaborating with experts in sexology and psychology, and implementing innovative strategies like role-play scenarios, practical community connection options, and visual learning tools, we've witnessed firsthand the power of acceptance, empowerment, and understanding. As we continue to navigate this journey, let us strive to uphold the sexual rights of all individuals, fostering environments where every person can live with dignity, respect, and autonomy.