The Project

The Hidden Someone is a Photovoice project was conducted as part of a larger program of research. Women with disability are victimised by men’s use of domestic and family violence (DFV) at far higher rates than women generally. However, this has issue has gained little attention in mainstream discussion of DFV and in the development of responses. In particular, greater consistency is needed across responses from disability, specialist DFV, and other services. Listening to women with disability can increase the quality and efficacy of prevention and response efforts.
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This program of research used intersectionality theory to understand the ways in which several types of oppression, such as sexism and ableism (systems of attitudes and beliefs which devalue people with disability), can compound each other and result in poorer outcomes for women with disability. The research aimed to understand what factors contribute to men’s use of DFV against women with disability, what is the experience of DFV for women with disability, and how can it be reduced and prevented.

Scoping review
A review of the topic area was conducted and 43 articles were included for analysis. The review found the lifetime prevalence of FDV against women with disability was 55-60%, far higher than the rate for women generally (30%, reported by Devries et al.). Rates were consistently high across regions and categories of disability. Articles which centred the lived experience of women with disability reported policies, and build and social environments were set up in a way which often excluded them and did not acknowledge their needs, and therefore placed them in situations of vulnerability. This vulnerability was made worse by men using DFV. So, while women with disability faced the same barriers to accessing safety and escaping violent partners as women generally, these barriers were compounded by factors such as sexism and ableism, which they experienced in everyday encounters. The review also found that greater recognition of the dignity of women with disability is needed, at an interpersonal, community, and political level, and a focus on ensuring their access to equal rights, including the right to live free from exploitation, violence and abuse.

Hidden Someone: a Photovoice study
Photovoice is a way of listening to and collecting participants’ thoughts and opinions using photos (or other accessible forms). Participants respond to questions by taking photos then speaking to a researcher about the photos they have taken. Wang and Burris (1997) developed photovoice with the goals of enabling people to record and reflect the strengths of their community and its concerns, promoting critical dialogue and knowledge about community issues through discussions of photographs, and reaching policy makers.
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A collaborative meeting with participants was held where we developed the intended aims of the process and guiding research questions. Individual photovoice interviews were carried out and several stages of analysis conducted. Lavobian narrative analysis informed the creation of the narratives presented on this site, as well as the work of Goorie author, Melissa Lucashenko. A second collaborative meeting was held to decide how the research would be translated to a wider audience, to raise awareness of DFV against women with disability. Lastly, this website was developed to share participant stories with the wider community, practitioners, researchers and policymakers.

Journal Articles​
Walter, B., Watts, L., Waters, R., & Chung, D. (2025). Critiquing the categorisation and measurement of family and domestic violence and disability: A scoping review. Gender-Based Violence. Doi: https://doi.org/10.1332/23986808Y2025D000000067.

Walter, B., Chung. D., Waters, R., & Watts, L. ExploringLived Experience of Family and Domestic Violence Against Women With Disability: A Scoping Review. Trauma, Violence & Abuse. Doi: https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/15248380231201813​

‍Conference presentations
‍Walter, B. (2024). ‘The relationship between economicempowerment for women with disability and men’s use of domestic and familyviolence’. The Danish Gender Conference.

Walter, B. (2023). ‘Family and domestic violence againstwomen with disability: A photovoice study’. New Voices in Social Work andWelfare Education Research, Australian and New Zealand Social Work &Welfare Education & Research (ANZSWWER) Symposium

Walter, B. (2022). ‘Understandings of family and domesticviolence against women with disability’. ANZSWWER Symposium

Walter, B. (2021). ‘Constructions of women with disabilityexperiencing FDV: an intersectional feminist exploration of invisibility andresistance’. New Voices in Social Work and Welfare Education Research, ANZSWWER Symposium  

Walter, B. (2021). 'Constructions of women with disability experiencing FDV'. Mark Liveris Research Seminar

Brontё Walter - PhD candidate
Donna Chung - primary supervisor
Lynelle Watts - associate supervisor
Rebecca Waters - associate supervisor