#alternate IFRAME: //www.googletagmanager.com/ns.html?id=GTM-M5GBVR [sprite.svg] Skip to main content Mencap home London marathon official charity 2020 Donate and stories header Make a donation Donate Stories Login Main navigation * Advice and support * Learning disability explained * Get involved * About us * Online Community * _______________ (BUTTON) Do search * Menu * Advice and support * Learning disability explained * Get involved * About us * Online Community * Back * + Our services + Employment + Children and young people + Social care + Benefits + Health + Housing + Relationships and sex + Diagnosis + Wills and Trusts * + What is a learning disability? + Learning difficulties + Conditions linked to learning disability + Research and statistics + Communicating with people with a learning disability + Information for healthcare professionals * + Mencap Journalism Awards 2019 + Fundraise for Mencap + Find an event + Working with us + Volunteer for Mencap + Philanthropy + Gifts in Wills + Donate in memory + Corporate partnerships + Shop at Mencap + Campaign with Mencap * + What we do + What we think + Our vision, mission and values + Timeline of Mencap + Our projects + Our executive team + Our trustees + Our ambassadors + Annual reports and reviews + Inclusion * * Section title Looking for services? Take a look * Our services * Employment * Children and young people * Social care * Benefits * Health * Housing * Relationships and sex * Diagnosis * Wills and Trusts What is a learning disability? Read our definition * What is a learning disability? * Learning difficulties * Conditions linked to learning disability * Research and statistics * Communicating with people with a learning disability * Information for healthcare professionals Donate to Mencap Donate now * Mencap Journalism Awards 2019 * Fundraise for Mencap * Find an event * Working with us * Volunteer for Mencap * Philanthropy * Gifts in Wills * Donate in memory * Corporate partnerships * Shop at Mencap * Campaign with Mencap What we think Read our vision statements * What we do * What we think * Our vision, mission and values * Timeline of Mencap * Our projects * Our executive team * Our trustees * Our ambassadors * Annual reports and reviews * Inclusion Sexuality and relationships - What we think Just like everybody else, people with a learning disability are sexual beings and have sexual rights Breadcrumb 1. 2. About us (BUTTON) + What we do + What we think + Our vision, mission and values + Timeline of Mencap + Our projects + Our executive team + Our trustees + Our ambassadors + Annual reports and reviews + Inclusion 3. What we think Last reviewed: July 2016 | Next review: Currently being reviewed Personal and sexual relationships can bring happiness, fulfilment, companionship, love and a greater sense of freedom to the lives of people with a learning disability.  Our vision is a future where the sexual identity, and personal and sexual relationships of people with a learning disability, are recognised, accepted and respected. We want individuals to be empowered to have positive, healthy, informed and safe relationships.  Current situation  Many people with a learning disability say that relationships are important to them. But only 3% of people with a learning disability live as a couple, compared to 70% of the general adult population.   Challenges Many people with a learning disability would like to pursue intimate or sexual relationships, but they face multiple barriers to developing such relationships, including the following:    * Meeting people is more difficult and social isolation is common.  * People are not receiving adequate relationships and sex education to give them the skills and knowledge to have healthy and fulfilling friendships and relationships, and to understand and explore their own sexuality.   * There is often a lack of privacy which restricts opportunities to explore and understand sexuality.  * The balance between risk and rights for people with a learning disability engaging in intimate or sexual relationships is often biased towards restricting their choices, both within family settings and other living arrangements.  Relationships and sex vision statement Download our relationships and sex vision statement to print off and read Download the vision statement Relationships and sex easy read vision statement Download the easy read version of our vision statement on sexuality and relationships. Download now You might also like Sexuality and relationships Advice for everyone on sexuality and relationships and learning disability Read more about Sexuality and relationships Sexuality - research and statistics Relationships are very important to people with a learning disability Read more about Sexuality - research and statistics Stay up to date, join our mailing list First Name ____________________________________________________________ Last name ____________________________________________________________ Email ____________________________________________________________ Sign up By submitting your details you agree to our privacy policy Monday to Friday : call 0808 808 1111 opening times Learning Disability Helpline Mencap Facebook page Mencap Twitter page Footer menu * Northern Ireland * Mencap Cymru * Jobs * Media Centre * Your Network * About our website * Sitemap * Privacy policy * Terms and Conditions * Stories and blogs * Volunteer * Contact us * Direct Debit Guarantee * Web accessibility statement * Slavery and Human Trafficking Statement pdf Charity number 222377 (England and Wales); SC041079 (Scotland)