Nigerian women share their stories of sex and disability

SOCIETAL STIGMA

- OBASANJO BOLARINWA

IMAGINE feeling invisible simply because of your body. Now imagine that invisibility extends into how society treats your desires, your safety, and your rights.

That is the everyday reality for many women with disabilities in developing countries, where 80% of people with disabilities live. And it’s an issue the policymakers must address to promote inclusive policies that reach the most marginalised.

We are global health researchers and authors of a recent qualitative study that explores the sexual experiences of women with disabilities in Lagos, Nigeria.

Despite growing global interest in sexual and reproductive health, the voices of women with disabilities have remained largely unheard, especially in lowand middle-income countries such as Nigeria.

Our research aims to break this silence. The women in our study told us they had sexual needs and desires like any other women, but they faced particular challenges such as societal stigma, inadequate access to reproductive health services, widespread misconceptions about contraception and sexual harassment. They suggested how more accessible health services and better legal protection could help them.

We spoke to 24 women in Lagos between the ages of 20 and 45. Sixty-seven percent of participants had physical disabilities, while 33% had visual impairments.

Participants were recruited through local networks and came from a range of educational, employment and marital backgrounds. They were asked open-ended questions in interviews conducted in English, Yoruba or Pidgin.