Being disabled does not make someone less human but should the Government pay for sex workers?

Should the Government fund sex workers for disabled people?

The controversial question was posed on TV3’s Story last week with one young man’s call for such support for himself and other disabled people.

It has opened debate on what some would say is a taboo topic; disabled people, sex and sexual relationships.

For many people the idea of disabled people needing or wanting sex seems to be something entirely new to think about.

However, for many disabled people – and for CCS Disability Action – this topic isn’t new. But it is complex.

Sex for non-disabled and disabled people alike is an individual issue. People have different needs, expectations and of course different experiences. So, it’s personal. Which makes asking people to help – or to support you to have sex – a very intimate act in itself.

Perhaps to some degree it’s even more intimate and courageous than the sex act itself.

Admitting you can’t find someone to love you or want you, and that you need help to feel the touch of someone else must be an incredibly humbling and vulnerable experience.

As an organisation supporting disabled people across the country for eight decades now, CCS Disability Action has been trying to give as much dignity and discretion to this issue as possible. But we haven’t ignored it. We support disabled people to learn about sex, talk about it – and yes – experience it.

What we believe is that everyone we support is a unique person with very human needs. Being disabled does not make someone less human.

So, we’ve partnered with other organisations to run sex education workshops for parents and teens, including the upcoming sex and intimacy workshop for young people at our national youth-focused event The Gathering in Wellington this weekend.

We also support disabled people to talk to family and loved ones about their sexual orientation and we help adults to find and access sex workers.

This help is given when we’re invited in. We understand not everyone wants us in their lives, knowing their most personal desires. We respect that.