It is not just about sex ; it is about our need for intimacy .

GETTY IMAGES

He produced an article about his experience , titled ‘ On seeing a sex surrogate ’.

This is what his surrogate partner therapist , Cheryl Cohen-Greene , wrote

of their encounter : “ Although his body

was paralysed , his tactile sensation

remained unimpaired , and over the

course of six sessions , I was able to

initiate him into sexual intimacy .

“ Our time together was intense ,

with much talking and sharing . He

was bright , friendly and eager , with a

dry sense of humour .

Professor Max Kamien Senior honorary research fellow at the University of WA .

PICTURE CREDIT

“ At one point , Mark said he loved me . I responded , ‘ I love you , too — in this moment .’ I tried my best to be supportive and encouraging , to help him to see possibility and potential even in the tough situation that was his reality .

“ Once , when I told him I thought he was brave , he responded , ‘ Brave ? I ’ m not brave . What am I supposed to do in my situation ?’”

Mark ’ s story was picked up by Ben Lewin , my cousin-in-law , who is also a survivor of childhood polio .

He wrote a screenplay and

the Administrative Appeals Tri-

directed a film called The Sessions .

bunal and won her case , with the

His wife , Judi Levine , produced it .

judgement being upheld in the Fed-

They hired Cheryl as a consultant .

eral Court of Australia .

The film , which stars John

But it has become a political issue ,

Hawkes as Mark , and Helen Hunt as

and while the Albanese Government

Cheryl , won 58 awards .

has no objections to sex workers per se , it does not want their work funded by taxpayers .

Around two-thirds of the 152 readers of Australian Doctor who

Cheryl Cohen-Greene , a surrogate partner on whom the movie

The Sessions was based .

More recently , The Sydney Morning Herald ran an interview with Rachel Wotton , a sex worker who specialises in helping people with disabilities and who is about to sub-

responded to a recent online poll —

mit a PhD thesis on the topic .

‘ Is the government right to explic-

In the 1980s , I was the doctor

unofficially recognised long before

disability , many of whom had never

These accounts make important

itly remove access to sex workers via

to a home for single men who had

the advent of the NDIS .

previously had a chance to explore

background reading for government .

the National Disability Insurance

acquired head injuries , were intellec-

Germany , the Netherlands , Den-

their sexuality .

The minister in charge is

Scheme ( NDIS )?’ — agreed with the

tually impaired or were epileptic .

mark and Switzerland support the

Furthermore , the UN Conven-

Bill Shorten . He seems to have

government ’ s position .

Many of them had a high sex drive .

provision of sex and intimacy for

tion on the Rights of Persons with

used access to sex workers as a

To me , had the word ‘ therapists ’

Their carers provided the trans-

those with severe disability through

Disability states : “ Persons with dis-

low-hanging example of the cur-

been used instead of ‘ workers ’, the

port to a nearby brothel , where

non-profit organisations .

abilities must not be denied the

rent profligacy of the NDIS with

responses might have been different . Making good political decisions involves knowing what has happened in the past , what is happening in other similar countries and , above all , what it is like to be in the shoes of the

This is about sex and intimacy , something far more important than a political debate .

opportunity to experience their sexuality , have sexual relationships and experience parenthood .”

This was ratified by the Australian Government in 2008 .

Mark O ’ Brien was a 38-year-old

which many doctors caring for people with disability are familiar .

For people with disabilities , this is about sex and intimacy , something far more important than a political debate that goes no further in the

recipient of your decisions .

poet with severe disability as a survi-

imagination than brothel visits .

Long-retired nurses and carers

three of the sex workers were

In the Netherlands , citizens with

vor of childhood polio . He could not

It is about affirmation of people ’ s

in residential homes for young men

empathetic to their plight and

disabilities receive money from the

move his body , but his sensory func-

humanity , which is the core aim of

with spasticity and head injuries

needs and often formed ongoing

government to help pay for sexual

tions were intact .

the NDIS .

can relate stories of how their insti-

professional relationships .

services for up to 12 times a year .

He did not want to die a virgin ,

tutions facilitated their patients ’ contacts with sex workers .

In short , the sexual needs of those with disability have been

They report a marked reduction of depression among those with

so he sought the assistance of a sex surrogacy therapist .

Visit ausdoc . com . au for more

Australian Doctor team Editor : Paul Smith ( 02 ) 8484 0795 Medical editor : Dr Kate Kelso BMed FRACGP ( 02 ) 8484 0713 How to Treat editor : Dr Claire Berman MBBCh ( 02 ) 8484 0749 Chief of staff : Rachel Carter ( 02 ) 8484 0631

6minutes news editor : Carmel Sparke ( 02 ) 8484 0979 Political news editor : Antony Scholefield ( 02 ) 8484 0616 Chief reporter : Heather Saxena 0425 271 128 Senior reporter : Mohana Basu ( 02 ) 8484 0648 Reporter : Rachel Fieldhouse 0420 834 340

Production editor : Sophie Attwood ( 02 ) 8484 0786 Senior content producers : David Dombrovskis ( 02 ) 8484 0765 Robert Santos ( 02 ) 8484 0674 Senior website manager : Stacey Shipton ( 02 ) 8484 0799 Senior graphic designer : Edison Bartolome ( 02 ) 8484 0872

Managing director : Bryn McGeever ( 02 ) 8484 0650 Sales and marketing enquiries : 1300 360 126 Classified pages bookings : ( 02 ) 8484 0666 gpclassifieds @ adg . com . au Production manager – client services : Eve Allen ( 02 ) 8484 0764 EMAIL US @: To email staff , use the following format :

first name . surname @ adg . com . au The views expressed in this publication are not necessarily those of Australian Doctor Group . Australian Doctor is an independent publication serving the needs of Australia ’ s GPs . It has no affiliation with any medical organisation or association , and our editorial content is free of influence from advertisers .

Australian Doctor is sent free to full-time GPs in private practice and certain prescribing and staff specialists . It is available to other readers on subscription for $ 390.00 pa including GST . Overseas rates apply . Phone 1300 360 126 . Average Net Distribution Period ending March 2023 15,918 Australian Doctor is published 12 times a year by Australian Doctor Group ,

Level 12 , 117 York Street , Sydney , NSW , 2000 Ph : ( 02 ) 8484 0666 Fax : ( 02 ) 8484 0633 Email : customer . service @ adg . com . au www . ausdoc . com . au ( Inc in NSW ) ACN 132 719 861 ABN 94 615 959 914 ISSN 1039-7116 © Copyright 2023 www . adg . com . au