The Love Rights project
Practical Prevention of Sexual Violence for People with Disability.
About Love Rights
Everyone has the right to safe, healthy, and fulfilling relationships and to live free from violence.
Stopping sexual violence against people with disability is something we all need to focus on.
Northcott is dedicated to tackling this problem by promoting education and empowerment. The Love Rights project aims to equip disability support staff, individuals with disability, families and carers and community members with essential knowledge and resources. This work helps people understand the issue and creates a supportive environment where everyone’s rights are respected. It also teaches skills for early intervention, which can reduce sexual violence and address negative attitudes and behaviours that contribute to it.
We celebrate the project’s conclusion by creating a platform for the Love Rights resources and tools to continue in the community.
Love Rights is funded by the NSW Government.
Film & Education resources
The education guide is intended to be used in conjunction with Love Rights and Specificity films. These films were made to help people with disability and their networks, explore topics about relationships, intimacy, and sexual health.
- Love Rights: This film tells the story of Oliver, a young man with disability who wants to learn about sex and connection. Through Oliver’s journey, we learn about healthy relationships, boundaries, support workers, and safe ways to explore sexuality.
- Specificity: The film follows Nina and Liam, two young adults with intellectual disability, as they navigate intimacy, consent, and first-time sexual experiences, highlighting self-discovery, supported communication, and the importance of mutual respect in relationships.
Support staff
- 250 disability support workers understand what they need to know and feel empowered to act to confidently create safe spaces in which people with disability can explore and express their sexually healthily, safely and free from shame, and are better prepared to recognise and respond to sexual violence.
- Existing staff and new starters will now receive this essential training to be the best active supporter, advocate and ally.
Individuals
- We consulted, listened to and heard the voices and opinions of people with disability to tailor the training and materials to their needs.
- The topics participants most valued were consent (42%), safe intimacy (21%), and sexual pleasure and safe practices (26%).
- 89% of participants rated their experience positively, either loving or liking the program. This indicates strong engagement and success in meeting the participants’ needs.
- 84% of participants reported feeling more confident in expressing their relationship needs, highlighting the pro gram’s effectiveness in empowering individuals.
Community
We have created resources to promote a culture of openness and understanding surrounding sexuality and support needs within the disability sector and broader community.
The training was very informative, covering topics that are not often discussed in our sector, it was an eye-opener.
Training Participant
Collaboration
We have worked with people with disability, employees in the sector, sector partners internal and external to Northcott to make this project happen.
Safer Me Safer You
NSW Government
Bus Stop Films
Steve Wilson – Alexander
If you would like more information on these resources, the project or our Northcott services, please contact us.
Call us on 1800 818 286
Accessibility and Inclusivity
We respect and honour Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on this land and commit to building a brighter future together.
Read more about our commitment to reconciliation