Challenges that Individuals with Disabilities Face
People who have disabilities are met with various challenges every day. They face adversities that cause physical, mental, and emotional hardships in their lives. Whether it be the increased risk of depression and anxiety due to bullying, or the frustration that comes with inaccessibility in public places, people with disabilities fight for equal opportunities and fair treatment every day.
Two of the most common challenges that individuals with disabilities face are bullying and the lack of accessibilities for people with wheelchairs or other specialized equipment in public spaces. These are both problems that take a significant toll on the mental and emotional well-being of people with disabilities because they are being punished unnecessarily for something they have no control over.
Bullying
Bullying can be defined as repetitive abusive and aggressive behaviour between peers involving a real or assumed power imbalance. There are many types of bullying, which include but aren’t limited to verbal, physical, and cyberbullying. Regardless of the type though, bullying has many negative consequences. Whether it be feelings of loneliness or isolation, low self-esteem, or even suicidal thoughts, many people with disabilities are the victims of bullying every day.
Physical Bullying
Physical bullying is the easiest form of bullying to recognize. It occurs when individuals physically abuse others in order to imply that they are more powerful than the other person, or that they have control over someone else. Examples of physical bullying may include kicking, hitting, punching, or any other physically abusive actions. The effects of physical bullying are not restricted to just feelings of temporary pain. It may cause severe injury, which could potentially limit the abilities of a person with a physical disability even further. Not only that, but it causes mental and emotional strain on the victim. They might be scared to go to school, or even fear being in the presence of the abuser. People with disabilities may be physically abused simply because they act differently than the bully, which is extremely unfair because their disability is not something they chose to have.
Verbal Bullying
It is common for a verbal bullying victim to be a person with a disability. Bullies will repeatedly insult victims with harsh words and comments, with the intent of hurting the victim or making them feel like they are less of a person. Targets of verbal bullying are chosen based on differences in appearance or behaviour, which is why children with disabilities are often verbally abused in school. Being the victim of verbal bullying has serious consequences, as it may leave tremendous emotional scars for the rest of the victim’s life. A person with a disability is no weaker than or less of a person than anyone else. Despite the cruel, insulting comments that bullies make to feel better about themselves, individuals with disabilities must always remember that they are just as much of a person as anyone else.
Other Forms of Bullying
Though physical and verbal bullying is the most common types, they are only two of the many forms of bullying that exist today. Cyberbullying occurs when people harass others through the use of technology. This could be by posting someone’s private information on social media for everyone to see, writing a mean comment on someone’s post, or sending a threatening message online. Relational aggression is a kind of bullying that is difficult to identify, as it is done slyly by the bully to manipulate or ruin the social life of the victim. It is done by isolating someone from their friend group or gossiping about them behind their back. Sexual bullying refers to the sexual harassment of a victim, whether it be by calling them a crude name, performing a vulgar gesture, or making inappropriate comments. Lastly, there is prejudicial bullying, which involves discrimination against people because of their race, sexuality, special needs, or religion. People may unfairly exclude someone for the sole reason that they have a disability.
The Affect of Bullying on Individuals with Disabilities
Being the victim of any form of bullying has significant negative impacts on the lives of all people, especially those with disabilities. It may make them feel like they are inferior to those who do not have disabilities, which is certainly not true. They may begin to accept this abusive behaviour as normal, and even start to look and talk down on themselves. Doing this may lead to self-hate, which is extremely unfair and simply not right. We must do our best to always recognize and stop bullying any time we see it. Everyone deserves fair and kind treatment regardless of any disabilities they may have.
Lack of Accessibilities in Public Places
The accessibility standards that Ontario put into place fall extremely short of what they should be in order to meet the needs of people with disabilities. Ontario is also nowhere near reaching the goal that they set in 2005 with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act. The plan was to be fully accessible by 2025, but Ontario is still a place with many barriers.
For example, an angled column at the entrance of a building might not affect the life of a person without disabilities, but for someone who is visually impaired, or has trouble perceiving depth, it might be hard for them to avoid getting hurt. Nobody should have to fear that there might not be a wheelchair ramp or an accessible elevator when they go to the store or an appointment. Another example might be that there is a wheelchair ramp to enter a building, but there isn’t an automatic door to actually get inside. Problems like these are what cause hardship, frustration, and unnecessary worry in the lives of people with disabilities. These barriers may make people feel like they are not welcome at those specific places, which leads to discrimination.
Technology
Assisting, adaptive, and accessible technology are all crucial when it comes to making Ontario (and the world) more accessible for people with disabilities. Assistive technology, which includes prosthetics and custom computer interfaces, helps people to live more independent lives. This will lead to more confidence and higher self-esteem since individuals with disabilities will become less reliant on other people. Adaptive technology allows people to access certain types of technology that they otherwise would not have been able to use. This will help them to feel freer and less restricted, seeing as they now have a wider variety of technology to choose from. Accessible technology involves things like speech recognition software, and electronically controlled outside devices, which allow for more flexibility and range. All of these elements together are what make the world a more accessible place for individuals with disabilities.
Structural Considerations
Architects, designers, and builders must all take into consideration the fact that their buildings must be accessible to all people. Like previously mentioned, designing an angular pillar may add a new, unique look to a building, but it may cause injury to a person who is visually impaired. Similarly, all buildings must accommodate any guests or employees with disabilities. Travelling all the way across the building to get to the only elevator in the back is unacceptable. People with disabilities are not a burden, so designing buildings in a manner that implies otherwise is wrong.
Conclusion
All in all, individuals who have disabilities face many challenges every day. We must do our best to treat them fairly and kindly, as well as accommodate for their needs properly and responsibly. By doing small things we can all come together to make the world more accessible and less challenging for everyone.
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