Page 359 - RUICHSS 2023 Proceeding

University of Ruhuna ISSN: 2706-0063
Matara, Sri Lanka

Although male students with disabilities are more able to interact with the

external society, they also need to acquire more information. Curiosity and
enthusiasm were observed during the interviews.

"When it comes to sex topics, I open my mouth and listen to them. I have so

much curiosity about sexuality." (P12, Male, 23, Visually Impaired)

According to the perception of male students with disabilities, sexual

harassment faced by female students with disabilities is more than sexual
violence faced by male students with disabilities due to insecurity in society.

I am a third-year Sociology student, aged 23, enrolled in a special intake at a
Sri Lankan university. I grew up with my grandparents since childhood, as my

parents could not care for me and my disabled younger sister. While my

grandmother educated me about menstruation, she avoided discussing topics
like rape, pregnancy, and sexually transmitted diseases. One day, I asked my

grandfather about rape, but my grandmother immediately intervened, insisting

that such subjects would not be discussed with me. As a member of the
disabled community, I believe that sexual education should be provided to all

individuals, regardless of their abilities. Unfortunately, such education is
currently unavailable to us, which limits our knowledge about critical health

and safety topics.

(P1, Female, 23, Visually Impaired).

The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted the lives of university

students, particularly in terms of their leisure time and social activities. The
study revealed that most students had limited opportunities for activities such
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