CRPD/C/GC/3 violence and trafficking within care and special education institutions. 66 Violence against women with disabilities in institutions includes: involuntary undressing by male staff against the will of the woman concerned; forced administration of psychiatric medication; and overmedication, which can reduce the ability to describe and/or remember sexual violence. Perpetrators may act with impunity because they perceive little risk of discovery or punishment given that access to judicial remedies is severely restricted, and women with disabilities subjected to such violence are unlikely to be able to access helplines or other forms of support to report such violations. Freedom from torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment and protecting the integrity of the person (arts. 15 and 17) 54. Women with disabilities are more likely to be subjected to forced interventions than are women in general and men with disabilities. Such forced interventions are wrongfully justified by theories of incapacity and therapeutic necessity, are legitimized under national laws and may enjoy wide public support for being in the alleged best interest of the person concerned.67 Forced interventions violate a number of rights enshrined in the Convention, namely: the right to equal recognition before the law; the right to freedom from exploitation, violence and abuse; the right to found a family; the right to the integrity of the person; the right to sexual and reproductive health; and the right to freedom from torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment. 68 Living independently and being included in the community (art. 19) 55. The right of women with disabilities to choose their place of residence may be adversely affected by cultural norms and patriarchal family values that limit autonomy and oblige them to live in a particular living arrangement. Thus, multiple discrimination can prevent the full and equal enjoyment of the right to live independently and to be included in the community. Age and impairment, separately or jointly, can increase the risk of institutionalization of older persons with disabilities. 69 In addition, it has been widely documented that institutionalization may expose persons with disabilities to violence and abuse, with women with disabilities being particularly exposed.70 Education (art. 24) 56. Harmful gender and disability stereotypes combine to fuel discriminatory attitudes, policies and practices, such as: giving greater value to the education of boys over girls, using educational material perpetuating wrongful gender and disability stereotypes, encouraging the child marriage of girls with disabilities, carrying out gender-based family activities, assigning caregiver roles to women and girls and not providing accessible sanitation facilities at schools to ensure hygienic menstrual management. In turn, these result in higher rates of illiteracy, school failure, uneven daily attendance rates, absenteeism and dropping out of school entirely. Health and rehabilitation (arts. 25 and 26) 57. Women with disabilities face barriers to accessing health and rehabilitation services. Among these barriers are: a lack of education and information on sexual and reproductive health and rights; physical barriers to gynaecological, obstetric and oncology services; and 66 67 68 69 70 14 See CRPD/C/UKR/CO/1, para. 11. See A/HRC/22/53, para. 64. See CRPD/C/SWE/CO/1, para. 37. See E/2012/51 and Corr.1. See A/HRC/28/37, para. 24.