Sexuality and intimate relationships for people with learning disability in Malta: realities and potentials

Sexuality is an area in which people with learning disability are disabled by social attitudes. Stereotypical views about the sexuality of people with learning disability range from asexuality, implying that they have no erotic or romantic inclinations, to hyper-sexuality which reinforces institutionalized sex segregation through the process of social exclusion. In Malta all these influences contribute to hinder the rights and the quality of life of people with learning disability. The theory of the social model of disability underpins the research aims, while reflecting discourses of equality and rights. The research aims at giving a better understanding of the sexual lives of people with learning disability in a Maltese context, whilst eliciting the opinions and beliefs of people with learning disability themselves, their parents and their service providers. Qualitative data, collected from people with learning disability, their parents and service providers is interpreted using phenomenological analysis. A sex education intervention pilot project is also run as part of the research, being informed by the findings of the same research. Findings identify ideologies, highlight missing structures and illustrate feasible future strategies. They reveal a lack of community support and emphasise the need of platforms where people with learning disability can form and maintain friendships and relationships. The dearth of any adequate form of sex education currently available for people with learning disability across Malta as well as the lacuna in policies related to sexuality, and particularly referring to the sexuality of people with learning disability is also uncovered. Recommendations reflecting findings from the main research study and the pilot project mainly target the necessity of sex education, policies and procedures surrounding sexuality in the context of people with learning disability in services across the islands.