Call for scheme to fund ‘sex services’

SEX services should be available through a new Disability Care national insurer launched in Geelong, according to a leading rehabilitation expert.
James Cook University’s Professor Matthew Yau said the scheme should make available sex-worker services and professional sex therapy to people with disabilities.
Prof Yau said on The Conversation website that the movie The Sessions, in which a severely disabled man’s efforts to lose his virginity with a sex surrogate, highlighted the importance of meeting basic intimacy needs and desires.
“Decades of research have uncovered the many benefits of sex, which include physical health, quality of life, psychological, well-being and sexual self-esteem,” he said.
“Unfortunately, because of social taboos and hypocrisy surrounding the topic of sexuality, barriers are created to stop people from fully realising these benefits.”
Prof Yau said Denmark allowed public funds to be used for disabled people to access sex workers at least once a month.
“Similarly, disabled Australians should be entitled to assistance for everyday tasks, whether that means going to the shops to buy some bread, visiting friends, or hiring a sex worker to satisfy their needs.”
Prof Yay said some disabled people did not require a sex partner “but if we strive for equality as (a) human race, equal access and availability should be our goal”.
Providing the sex services should cost no more to the taxpayer because rehabilitation funds that might already be available could legitimately be spent if disabled clients preferred, he said.