Is It Ethical To Prevent Adults With Learning Difficulties From Having Sexual Relationships?

The ethical problems of whether adults with learning difficulties should ever be prevented from having sexual relationships are not a common topic in academia. However, in 2012 it was estimated by the department of health that there were 905,000 adults with learning difficulties (18+) living in England, of whom 189,000 were known to local disability services. This ethical dilemma effects the lives of a lot people, many of whom do not have the ability to speak up for their rights. In 2011 a case was brought to court focusing on a man`s capacity to consent to sexual relationships. He had learning difficulties. The court ruled that he should be prevented by the local authorities from having any such relationship. I use this case to unravel the ethical justifications for such a practice. As a result, I concluded that in some situations, adults with learning difficulties without the capacity to consent to sexual relationships should not be banned from having sexual relationships. This has a wider implication for people who have mental impairments, not just those with learning difficulties. It may also provide a framework for understanding prevention intervention in other areas that require capacity for the mentally impaired.