ABSTRACT
Bíbí's first 30 years are a most interesting time. Icelandic society had not yet made much progress with regard to understanding the circumstances of people with disabilities, nor provisions for them. This is clearly manifested in all aspects of her life, both within and outside her home. Hence, a highly interesting opportunity arises for exploring the circumstances of people who essentially had nowhere to turn with regard to their daily needs. Bíbí's family paid little attention to her needs, the community around her had no understanding of her situation, and the “experts” – the physician, clergyman, and teacher – condemned her to a certain ostracism by their diagnosis of her impairment. The result was that she was subjected to what we call “slow violence,” a concept that is explained in the chapter.
