Conference Program

Despite the growing international attention to the issue of gender-based violence and the framework of commitments outlined by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, which identifies the elimination of all forms of violence against women among its priorities, the experiences of women with disabilities, in relation to this issue, continue to occupy a marginal space within both the scientific and political context. The available scientific literature suggests that gender-based violence against women with disabilities is shaped by multiple determinants, including restrictive gender norms, social stigmatization, dynamics of dependency within care relationships, and intersectional discrimination in access to support services. National and international published studies, although limited, have long converged in recognizing women with disabilities exposed to a higher risk of violence, in all its forms, than women without disabilities; however, the phenomenon remains largely invisible, both in more intimate and interpersonal contexts and in social and institutional settings, such as health and social care services and gender-based violence prevention and response centres.
Starting from a critical re‐reading of a selected corpus of studies on gender-based violence against women with disabilities – identified within a scoping review aimed to map the literature on the identity construction process of women with disabilities – The present contribution aims to analyse some of the main reasons underlying the invisibilization of gender-based violence against these women. Adopting an intersectional and socio-ecological perspective, the analysis offers a critical reflection on the need to promote further research lines aimed at deepening the understanding of cultural models and educational practices oriented toward the recognition of hidden violence. At the same time, it highlights the urgent need to strengthen the network of services engaged in the prevention of and response to violence, with particular attention to accessibility and the protection of the rights of women with disabilities.