• Health

BREAK

Breaking Barriers: Consent Education and Safe Disclosure for Young Women with Intellectual and/or Developmental Disabilities

Project summary 

How can young women with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities (IDD) be empowered to understand consent, recognise abusive behaviours and access safe support? 

BREAK addresses this challenge by promoting accessible, rights-based sexuality education and safe disclosure mechanisms for young women with IDD, with the aim of preventingsexual and gender-based violence (SGBV) and strengthening self-determination, bodily autonomy and inclusion. 

The project will develop the BREAKpoint digital platform, an accessible tool combining educational resources on consent, relationships, safety and rights with safe disclosure features supporting communication, storytelling and reporting. Through co-design activities and capacity building, BREAK will strengthen the skills of professionals, promoterespectful relationships among young people with IDD and challenge stigma around disability and sexuality. 

By fostering a culture of consent, equality and respect, BREAK will contribute to safer and more inclusive environments and support the integration of disability-informed SGBV prevention approaches into education, social services and safeguarding systems. 

Aims 

  • Empower young women with IDD through accessible sexuality education, promoting informed decision-making, bodily autonomy and awareness of rights; 

  • Strengthen professionals’ competences in delivering inclusive sexuality education and supporting safe disclosure; 

  • Develop accessible digital tools to provide information, support communication and facilitate safe reporting; 

  • Engage young people with IDD in promoting consent, respectful relationships and violence prevention; 

  • Raise awareness and promote systemic change towards inclusive and accessible prevention approaches. 

Target groups 

  • Young women with IDD (15–29) as the primary target group; 

  • Young men with IDD involved in activities promoting consent and respectful relationships; 

  • Educators, support workers, therapists and caregivers; 

  • Disability organisations, education providers and civil society organisations; 

  • Policymakers and institutional stakeholders; 

  • The general public reached through awareness-raising activities. 

Project results 

The project will deliver five main results: 

  • BREAKpoint Digital Platform: An accessible platform providing information on consent, relationships, safety and rights, including prevention and safe disclosure modules. 

  • BREAKthrough Curriculum and Training Materials: Educational resources and training tools for professionals supporting inclusive sexuality education. 

  • Evaluation Report: An analysis of the impact of empowerment activities with young people with IDD. 

  • Awareness & Prevention Campaign Package: Communication materials promoting disability rights, consent and inclusion. 

  • Policy Recommendations: National Position Papers and an EU Policy Brief supporting the integration of disability-informed SGBV prevention into policies and services. 

Activities 

  • Co-design research and development of accessible tools with young people with IDD and stakeholders; 

  • Development and testing of the BREAKpoint digital platform; 

  • Training activities for professionals and caregivers; 

  • Workshops with young women and young men with IDD on consent, relationships and personal safety; 

  • Awareness-raising campaigns and stakeholder engagement activities; 

  • Final conference. 

Duration  

1 April 2026 – 31 March 2028  

Partnership  

  • Coordinator: WIIC, Lithuania 

Contact   

Funding  

CERV-2025-DAPHNE 

Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them. 

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