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Legal rights or simply wishes? The struggle for sexual recognition of people with physical disabilities using personal assistance in Sweden

Bahner, Julia LU orcid (2012) In Sexuality and Disability 30(3). p.337-356
Abstract
The purpose of this study is to explore the lived experience of sexuality for people with physical disabilities using formal personal assistance services in Sweden, from their own perspective. This is analyzed in relation to the aims of personal assistance services according to Swedish law, which states that they should be framed in terms of autonomy, integrity and self-determination making it possible to live a good life, on the same terms as non-disabled people. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews with ten assistance users and through observations on an online discussion forum for people with disabilities. The main findings of the study concern participants' struggle to be recognized as sexual beings in order to be able... (More)
The purpose of this study is to explore the lived experience of sexuality for people with physical disabilities using formal personal assistance services in Sweden, from their own perspective. This is analyzed in relation to the aims of personal assistance services according to Swedish law, which states that they should be framed in terms of autonomy, integrity and self-determination making it possible to live a good life, on the same terms as non-disabled people. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews with ten assistance users and through observations on an online discussion forum for people with disabilities. The main findings of the study concern participants' struggle to be recognized as sexual beings in order to be able to live as desired, as well as the different strategies needed to overcome obstacles in sexual expression. Results indicate the need to train personal assistants about handling assistance users' sexuality and sexual situations. (Less)
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author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
in
Sexuality and Disability
volume
30
issue
3
pages
20 pages
publisher
Springer
external identifiers
  • scopus:84866734753
ISSN
0146-1044
project
Sexualitetsfrågor i vardagen med personlig assistans för personer med fysisk rörelsenedsättning
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
3fe8f20d-c734-4c6a-b36e-cf15de331a8a
date added to LUP
2019-10-28 16:10:11
date last changed
2023-11-14 17:12:31
@article{3fe8f20d-c734-4c6a-b36e-cf15de331a8a,
  abstract     = {{The purpose of this study is to explore the lived experience of sexuality for people with physical disabilities using formal personal assistance services in Sweden, from their own perspective. This is analyzed in relation to the aims of personal assistance services according to Swedish law, which states that they should be framed in terms of autonomy, integrity and self-determination making it possible to live a good life, on the same terms as non-disabled people. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews with ten assistance users and through observations on an online discussion forum for people with disabilities. The main findings of the study concern participants' struggle to be recognized as sexual beings in order to be able to live as desired, as well as the different strategies needed to overcome obstacles in sexual expression. Results indicate the need to train personal assistants about handling assistance users' sexuality and sexual situations.}},
  author       = {{Bahner, Julia}},
  issn         = {{0146-1044}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{337--356}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Sexuality and Disability}},
  title        = {{Legal rights or simply wishes? The struggle for sexual recognition of people with physical disabilities using personal assistance in Sweden}},
  volume       = {{30}},
  year         = {{2012}},
}