Ableism was subtle but systemic in NZ's judicial system, say experts. File photo. Photo: RNZ / Angus Dreaver
When Joanne Marshall - a Deaf advocate based in Rotorua - tried to report an assault, she called the police through the Relay Service and asked for a Sign Language interpreter to help her.
Instead, she was transferred between different call-takers, and by the time she had been able to get through to a constable, he admitted he had "no clue what to do".
"There's a complete distrust between the Deaf community and police," she said.
"We avoid police at all costs if we can because of that history of mistreatment."
Marshall is not alone.
At Access Matters Aotearoa's webinar last month, as part of their Kōrero for Change series, lawyer Dr Huhana Hickey said ableism was subtle but systemic in our judicial system.
"Whether we are physically disabled, we are intellectually disabled, or we have a sensory impairment, visual, or we're Deaf - ableism is alive and well in our system," Hickey said.
Hickey shared a story about a prisoner with a physical disability who had a pressure sore that went "to the bone" after refusing to be turned in bed at night - because he feared being raped.
Another prisoner had spent five days in agony with a twisted testicle after nurses had refused to let him see a doctor. He later ended up in hospital, and by then, amputation was the only option.
Hickey said he had been "teased and beaten for not being a real man anymore".
"Punishment goes into torture for a lot of disabled," Hickey said.
"We have over 85 percent of untreated mental health issues within the judicial system. Many of them neurodiverse. Many of them also have hearing issues. Many have other cognitive behavioural impairments, and there is no system within our penal system which understands that and helps them towards it."
Dr Huhana Hickey. Photo: RNZ / Alexander Robertson
Police ditrector or prevention Superintendent Andrew Mortimore agreed that there was more that needed to be done.
Mortimore said it had been looking into how it could influence better outcomes for people with disabilities.
"It's not just about promoting inclusion and belonging, it's about demonstrating our commitment to disability communities," he said.
"We know from the New Zealand Crime and Victims Survey that disabled people are, on average, 10 percent more likely to be a victim of crime and are disproportionately represented in youth and prison facilities, with estimates of disability among OT (Oranga Tamariki) and Corrections facilities as high as 60 to 80 percent."
Over the past two years, Mortimore said police had been developing a Disability Roadmap.
"It is essential that we have the trust and confidence of the Deaf, neurodivergent, and disability communities.
"As such, we need to provide inclusive systems and processes that are equitable and accessible."
The Department of Corrections had also launched a Disability Action Plan in February 2023.
Pae Ora deputy chief executive Dr Juanita Ryan said it was working hard to do better.
"People do often enter our prison with complex and unmet needs," Ryan said. "We are working harder to listen to the experiences of tāngata whaikaha Māori and disabled people and their whānau who have shared their experiences with us."
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