Promoting Sexual Health and Safety for Women With Disabilities

Despite representing one of the largest and fastest-growing subpopulations of reproductive-age women, women with disabilities experience profound disparities in sexual and reproductive health care. Women with disabilities face disproportionately high rates of unmet sexual health needs, inadequate sexual education, and elevated risks of sexual abuse and intimate partner violence (IPV). These inequities are driven by structural, interpersonal, and clinical barriers that remain poorly addressed within women’s health care systems. Given the importance of addressing reproductive health care needs, it is crucial that clinicians understand the needs of women with disabilities, implement disability-competent communication strategies, and ensure trauma-informed, accessible care.