OPINIONS FROM EXPERTS STUDYING THE SEXUALITY OF MENTALLY DISABLED INDIVIDUALS

ZİHİNSEL YETERSİZLİĞİ OLAN BİREYLERİN CİNSELLİĞİ İLE İLGİLİ ÇALIŞMALAR YAPAN UZMAN GÖRÜŞLERİ

Abstract

The objective of this study is to examine the opinions of experts who have researched the sexuality of individuals with mental disabilities. For this research, three experts (sexual consultant, sexual pedagogue and pedagogue) who have worked in Germany and Austria for 10 to 35 years have been chosen for the sexual life of individuals with mental disabilities. This study was designed as a qualitative research. The semistructured interview technique was used. The obtained data were analyzed by descriptive analysis technique. The findings suggest that the sexuality of mentally disabled individuals is a taboo today and these individuals are not allowed to live their sexuality as they wish. It has also been pointed out that mentally disabled individuals do not receive adequate support for sexual education, that these individuals are not very informed about their bodies and that they are unable to recognize their bodies due to their cognitive development. It’s also observed that mentally disabled individuals’ desire to have children is rejected by their families and educational support staff. Findings from this study are expected to contribute to academicians who will research the sexuality of mentally disabled individuals or potentially to the preparation of a sexual education program As there is not a great body of resources and research on the sexuality of mentally disabled people, their environment including their parents harbour prejudice about their sexuality. This prejudice has led to these people being seen as asexual, childish or people whose instincts are out of control, strongly addicted to sex or people who don’t have any such instincts (Leue-Kading,2004). Limitations and prejudice stemming from parents and the environment lead these individuals to suppress their sexuality. It is commonly thought that people with mental disabilities can live happily without emotional and sexual relationships. They can be also be perceived as dangerous as they cant control their sexual behaviours (Schonwiese & Sailer-Lausmann, 2000). The educational approach and unwritten rules of societies place limitations on people with mental disabilities in expressing their sexuality. Being suppressed by the society may led them relieve themselves manually or exhibit aggressive behaviour. These individuals are thought to be protected from sexual relationship as they are ‘special people’. Due to the negative approach of society toward these individuals, researchers have formed a different perspective about their sexuality (Bannasch,2002). These researchers have indicated that these individuals have senses like the rest of us and can identify with real sexuality. They also indicate that these individuals have the physical capacity for their sexual needs and that their sexually has no difference from the rest of society (Bannasch, 2002; Krenner, 2003; Walter, 1992). For this research, three experts (sexual consultant, sexual pedagogue and pedagogue) who have worked in Germany and Austria for 10 to 35 years have been chosen for the sexual life of individuals with mental disabilities. This study was designed as a qualitative research. The semi-structured interview technique was used. The obtained data were analyzed by descriptive analysis technique. The finding ssuggest that the sexuality of mentally disabled individuals is a taboo today and these individuals are not allowed to live their sexuality as they wish. It has also been pointed out that mentally disabled individuals do not receive adequate support for sexual education, that these individuals are not very informed about their bodies and that they are unable to recognize their bodies due to their cognitive development. It’s also observed that mentally disabled individuals’ desire to have children is rejected by their families and educational support staff. Findings from this study are expected to contribute to academicians who will research the sexuality of mentally disabled individuals or potentially to the preparation of a sexual education program. According to the field research, it has been found out that individuals with mental disabilities face four to ten times more sexual harassment than the average for the rest of society due to the lack of judgement and the ability to evaluate the situation. They may accept any approach including sexual relations or touching without knowing they are being harassed sexually (Soylu, Senturk Pilan, Aya, & Sonmez, 2012). The main concern of their families is that they may be sexually harrased when they enter puberty. this research also indicates that their families do not have enough information about sexuality (Mermer, 1993) and some families do not give enough information about sexuality to their children (Ciftci, Tekinarslan and Eratay, 2013). The research made by Cangl, Karaca and Aslan (2013) indicates that individuals with mental disabilities with working hormones, have sexual instincts like the rest of society. It has also been discovered in another piece of research that their sexual behaviours are being suppressed by their families, carers and teachers (Nancy A and Elias 2006) The main outcome of this research is that sexuality of these individuals is still taboo. They are not given any opportunity to live their sexuality. According to Aslan, Cangol and Karaca (2013), sexuality is an important factor in their quality of life. People who are supporting these individuals' lives should remove all obstacles which relate to sexuality (Friske, 1995). According to the research, it is commonly thought that these individuals are seen as childish throughout their whole lives and should be supported by someone continuously. The reason why these individuals are seen in this way by other members of the society and their families is that they have some difficulties in describing their sexual behaviours and when these behaviours are suitable and the most important of all is that they have some difficulties controlling these b

Özet

Bu araştırmada zihinsel yetersizliği olan bireylerin cinselliği ile ilgili çalışmalar yapan uzmanların zihinsel yetersizliği olan bireylerin cinselliği ile ilgili görüşlerinin incelenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Araştırma için Almanya ve Avusturya'da zihinsel yetersizliği olan bireylerin cinselliği üzerine araştırma yapan ve bu alanda 10 ila 35 yıldır çalışan, cinsel danışman, cinsel pedagog ve pedagogdan oluşan 3 uzman seçilmiştir. Nitel bir araştırma olarak desenlenen bu çalışmada yarı yapılandırılmış görüşme tekniği kullanılmıştır. Elde edilen veriler betimsel analiz tekniği ile analiz edilmiştir. Araştırma bulguları, zihinsel yetersizliği olan bireylerin cinselliğinin günümüzde tabu olarak kabul edildiğini ve bu bireylerin cinselliklerini diledikleri gibi yaşamalarına olanak sunulmadığını ortaya koymuştur. Ayrıca zihinsel yetersizliği olan bireylerin cinsel eğitim konusunda yeterli destek almadıkları, bu bireylerin kendi bedenlerini tanımada çok fazla bilgiye sahip olmadıkları ve zihinsel yetersizliklerine bağlı olarak bedenlerini tanımakta zorlandıkları belirtilmiştir. Zihinsel yetersizliği olan bireylerin çocuk sahibi olma arzularının aileleri ve destek eğitim personeli tarafından reddedildiği de araştırma bulguları ile ortaya çıkmıştır. Bu çalışmadan elde edilen sonuçların zihinsel yetersizliği olan bireylerin cinselliği konusunda araştırma yapacak akademisyenlere ve hazırlanacak bir cinsel eğitim programına katkı sağlayacağı düşünülmektedir.Bu araştırmada zihinsel yetersizliği bulunan bireylerin cinselliği ile ilgili çalışmalar yapan uzmanların zihinsel yetersizliği olan bireylerin amaçlanmıştır. Bu amaç doğrultusunda aşağıda yer alan soruların yanıtları aranmıştır. cinselliği konusuna dair görüşlerinin incelenmesi c. Uzmanların zihinsel engelli bireylerin çocuk yapma arzuları üzerine düşünceleri nelerdir? d. Uzmanlara göre zihinsel engelli birey ailelerinin çocuklarının cinselliğine ilişkin davranışları nasıldır? e. Uzmanlara göre zihinsel engellilerin cinselliği konusunda hangi iyileştirmeler yapılmalıdır?