ABSTRACT
This chapter explains disability which is understood through an interactional model; although individuals' impairments can contribute to their difficulties participating in activities of daily life, disability occurs when social and attitudinal barriers in society fail to take account of disabled people's needs. It brings to light the unique experiences of disabled women affected by domestic abuse, outlining the prevalence and severity of abuse against disabled women and exploring the reasons why disabled women experience more frequent, more prolonged and more severe domestic abuse than non-disabled women. Drawing on a range of literature from gender, health and disability studies, the chapter discusses the barriers and facilitators to providing appropriate domestic abuse support for disabled women. Disablist attitudes commonly view disabled women as asexual. Disablist attitudes in society prioritise able-bodied people as the optimum norm and reduce individuals with a health condition or impairment to being 'abnormal' or 'other'.
