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The European Union Agency for Fundamental Rights (FRA) has just released a study warning of worrying situations of neglect, abuse and violence against people with disabilities living in institutions in the European Union (EU), including Portugal.

The report “Places of Care = Places of Safety?” shows that the normalisation of violence, difficulties in reporting abuse and the lack of effective monitoring put the rights of these people at risk. The FRA considers it urgent to strengthen public policies that prevent violence, protect victims and hold professionals and institutions accountable.

In the EU, more than 1.4 million persons with disabilities live in institutions. In Portugal, the 2021 Census indicates that 8% of persons with disabilities over the age of 5 reside in collective accommodation, a figure much higher than the 1.5% of the general population. Data from the Social Charters show that, in 2022, more than 6,600 people with disabilities were living in institutional settings in the country.

The study included contributions from the Permanent Observatory for Justice of the Centre for Social Studies of the University of Coimbra, through the work of Fernando Fontes, Cláudia Nogueira, and Diana Barros. The data for Portugal align with the comparative study conducted by the FRA, as the national analysis concludes that, despite the existence of legislation, protection measures, and reporting mechanisms, the practical application of these tools remains fragile and ineffective.

The research identified six main challenges: the persistence of stereotypes about disability, the lack of human resources and specialised training, public policy models that continue to favour institutionalisation, insufficient monitoring, the poor effectiveness of reporting mechanisms, and the slowness and paternalistic view of the judicial system.

Three groups were also identified as being at increased risk of violence within institutions: people with profound and multiple intellectual disabilities who are unable to communicate verbally; people with mental illness admitted to psychiatric hospitals; and people with dual diagnoses, combining intellectual disabilities and mental health problems.

The research collected testimonies from people who had experienced violence in institutions, revealing situations of physical and emotional abuse, mistreatment, deprivation of liberty, dehumanisation, ridicule and excessive medication. Many of these reports show how different forms of violence are cumulative and have a profound impact on the well-being and physical and mental health of victims. One of the testimonies collected illustrates this scenario: “The conversation in the corridor reached the point where they were discussing whether I had breasts or not, and a lady said that she had already bathed me and that I did, but you couldn’t see them because of this position. Whether I have a lot or a little is none of their business. They are there to bathe me.”

The study also concludes that there is widespread ignorance of independent monitoring and reporting mechanisms, mainly due to a lack of accessible information in institutions, which contributes to the persistence of these situations.

Conducted in 27 EU countries and three candidate countries, and supplemented by interviews in 10 countries, the research reinforces the FRA’s call for urgent action by Member States. Recommended measures include deinstitutionalisation, strengthening data collection and monitoring of institutions, improving reporting mechanisms, investing in training for professionals and judicial actors, and actively involving persons with disabilities in policy decisions that affect them.

As FRA Director Sirpa Rautio states, “Violence against persons with disabilities in institutions is a systemic problem that requires systemic change.” The EU and its Member States must fulfil their legal obligations and protect the fundamental rights of persons with disabilities by prioritising their inclusion in the community, treating them with dignity and respect, and effectively protecting them from violence and abuse.

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 <sub>Comparative Report 

Report I on Portugal  

Report II on Portugal</sub>