Ask the experts

Ask the Experts

Question Recently my carer and I went to Italy on an organised coach tour. Returning to the coach park after a visit to the Vatican we became separated from the rest of our group. The tour manager had set a fast pace and we couldn’t keep up. We continued in the direction that the rest of the group had gone in but when we rounded the next corner we found ourselves at the bottom of a flight of stone steps. There was an escalator but we didn’t use it because a sign said that children’s buggies weren’t allowed on it and although there was no mention of wheelchairs, it seemed logical that if you couldn’t take a buggy up the escalator, you shouldn’t take a wheelchair either. I am trying to find out whether there are any restrictions in Italy (legal or otherwise) on the use of wheelchairs on escalators and whether a tour manager has any responsibility/liability for the people on his tour under whatever health and safety provision is in place. In this instance, one or both of us could easily have fallen and been injured. We felt foolhardy taking the wheelchair up the escalator and very vulnerable. Our holiday health insurance is clear that we wouldn’t have been covered for injury caused by deliberately placing ourselves at risk. Any advice you can give me about these issues would be most gratefully received. NB: I checked the holiday thoroughly with the coach firm before I booked. They knew I used a wheelchair but their help desk assured me that I would have no problems.
Barbara Morris, by email

Andy Wright: The Italian government introduced legislation in March 2006 (Italian law 67/2006) concerned principally with discrimination against people with disabilities and while it isn’t as comprehensive as the UK’s Disability Discrimination Act, its goals are similar. I’m not able to comment on the specific example that you raise regarding your trip but Law 67/2006 does require businesses and venues to provide suitable access for disabled visitors. It is therefore reasonable to suggest that an alternative to the escalators should have been provided, as I personally never consider it safe for a wheelchair-user to use an escalator. However, I should point out that to the best of my knowledge no condemnatory judgements have been issued so far by Italian courts for public authority offences involving discriminatory behaviour against disabled people under this law. Italian courts don’t seem brave enough. With regard to the alleged apparent dismissive and negligent behaviour of the tour guide, given that details of your requirements had been submitted to the coach company in advance of travel, it’s the responsibility of the coach company to ensure that their people are adequately briefed and trained accordingly, to meet all their customers’ needs.

Question I would be much obliged if you know of any escort sites suited for disabled people. I had some information, but due to circumstances, have lost the site featuring services. I hope I haven’t offended anyone by my request but we all have needs often not met by everyday life.
Name supplied, by email

Simon Parritt:
The truth is that escort services, and by this I assume you mean sex workers, are quite changeable. If you go to a massage parlour, they are subject to who is running them and who is working for them at any one time. You could start by looking up www.punternet.com where you can search by region and read about customers’ experiences of particular places or people. It also has general information about sex workers, massage parlours and UK law. The best initial advice is to do some research. Ring up or email them, stating your access needs and the service you require. If you have mobility difficulties, ask if the premises are on the ground floor. Do you need help dressing and undressing? Will you need to have a PA take you there and wait for you? If you don’t have communication difficulties, a phonecall can often give a good initial idea of how helpful and open they are to your particular needs as a disabled client. You should also think carefully about allowing someone you don’t know to visit your home. If you do, be aware that you may be vulnerable to theft and other security issues, so have someone within easy call whom you can trust and who is discreet. It would usually be preferable, therefore, to visit the sex worker if possible. In addition, time is an issue for sex workers, and time is money. As a disabled person you may require an unrushed experience and more time than a non-disabled person. This will cost more in most places, but like most things in this world you have to pay for what you get, so for most disabled people this is an expensive solution to meeting their sexual needs and not a practical or even desirable alternative to a full sexual and intimate relationship. Finally, always be respectful to the sex worker and practise safe sex. Also, remember that the person you employ is offering you a service, not a relationship.
• www.tlc-trust.org.uk
•• www.punternet.com

Answering questions on Relationships is Simon Parritt, a counselling psychologist who has studied psychosexual therapy. Simon was the only disabled director of the former Association to Aid the Sexual and Personal Relationships of People with a Disability (SPOD). We have two Legal experts on our panel. Eleanor Williams is an employment lawyer specialising in discrimination at Darwin Gray solicitors. Disabled herself, Eleanor lectures widely and holds a number of advisory positions. Douglas Joy is the senior solicitor at the Disability Law Service and is blind. He started working in community care and mental health law in 2002. Other Benefits and Debt questions are answered by Gary Martin, who is welfare benefits supervisor at Walthamstow Citizens Advice Bureau. Our Equipment guru is John Mandrak, who is blind and has worked for nearly 25 years as a disability journalist and consultant. He is an advisor on the Disabled Living Foundation’s helpline. Answering questions on Travel is Andy Wright, who is disabled and is managing director of Accessible Travel, a specialist tour operator providing holidays for people with mobility impairments. Our Finance expert is David Clarke, who is blind, has spent 14 years in banking and has worked for three leading financial service providers. He is now a senior partner with Clydesdale Bank. Kate Sheehan answers your questions on Property.
She is an independent occupational therapist with 20 years’ experience and a passionate interest in housing. Motoring questions are dealt with by Ed Passant, chief executive of the Forum of Mobility Centres, the umbrella body for 17 independent organisations which provide driver and passenger assessment for disabled people.