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Public Discourse of Sexual Assistance in the Czech Republic

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Abstract

This paper analysed the attitudes of the Czech public to the newly introduced service of sexual assistance to disabled persons. It constitutes the outcome of a discreet study of contributions at discussion forums of the idnes.cz newspaper related to the news concerning the introduction of the assistance (N = 183). The data show a low level of information on the topic, but also of the sexuality of disabled persons in general. Sexual assistants are equated with prostitutes; sexuality of handicapped persons is considered impertinent, or on the contrary, identical to sexuality of healthy persons. The defenders of the assistance point out the basic rights of disabled persons and good experience from abroad. Also, the limits of the service are discussed—the unaffordability and inaccessibility, the risk of the client's falling in love with the assistant, the tax aspect of the matter and the exclusive focus of the service on men.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Zdravotně sociální fakulta, Jihočeská Univerzita V Českých Budějovicích, J. Boreckého 1167/27, 370 11, České Budějovice, Czech Republic

    Tichovová Veronika, Kajanová Alena & Ondrášek Stanislav

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  1. Tichovová Veronika
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  2. Kajanová Alena
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  3. Ondrášek Stanislav
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Correspondence to Kajanová Alena.

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Veronika, T., Alena, K. & Stanislav, O. Public Discourse of Sexual Assistance in the Czech Republic. Sex Disabil 39, 707–713 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11195-021-09701-3

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