Andreja Bartolac offers a summary of her sociological study of experiences of Croatian men and women with cerebral paralysis regarding their intimate life and the manner in which the environment in which they live experiences them. How better then to follow up on her objective examination of society's misconceptions about the fulfillment of needs of persons with diasbility, but from the pen of someone who speaks out on his own behalf?
Differences between men and women with CP are presented, differences concerning their experience of their selves, their bodies and the experience of their own sexuality; their views about partnership and marriage; and the feeling of social isolation and stigmatisation when it comes to exercising the rights to a full life in all segments of the term. A particular stress is put on raising new issues that should be further explored in this area, and proposals are made for new departures so that the rights of persons with CP to a normal life can be exercised as far as is possible to the full.
Andreja Bartolac (HR)
Born in Karlovac in 1975. She took her degree in at the psychoterapy and occupational physiotherapy courses at the Medical Polytechnic in Zagreb, and reached ABD in the psychology course of the Faculty of Humanities and Social Sciences in Zagreb. Since 1998 she has been working closely with the cerebral and Infantile Paralysis Invalids Association in Zagreb, organising and coordinating creative and psycho-social workshops for groups of adults with cerebral paralysis. She has also organized 3 exhibitions of fine art and literary works, and helped to produce the exhibition catalogues. In 1999/2000 she did an occupational therapy internship in the Special hospital for Medical Rehabilitation at stubicke Toplice, working mainly with people with neurological disorders. From 1998 she was part-time lecturer in clinical exercises int he occupational therapy course of the Medical Plytechnic in Zagreb. Since 2001 she has been employed full-time in this course as assistant lecturer. She also has ten years of experience in the organisation and running of corrective exercises and in ergonomic education for people with back problems in the HB/TT gym. Particular areas of interest: occupational therapy and evaluation methodology, and the ergonomic adjustment of space. She has taken an active part in several pofessional and academicconferences at home and abroad, particularily those the subject of which has concerened cerebral paralysis and occupational therapy in European terms.
