A new poll by an Israeli non-profit organization that works to improve the quality of life of individuals with disabilities revealed this week the attitude of Israelis toward the disabled.
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Conducted by Access Israel, the survey shows that while in some areas there have been improvements, in others, there is still reluctance and prejudices, especially among men.
For example, Israeli parents have become more accepting of their children learning in the same classroom with a disabled child. Two years ago, only one-third of the parents were on board with the idea, while by 2023, the number rose to almost 85%.
Whereas when it comes to romantic relationships, 78% of respondents – especially between the ages of 18-29 – said they would not go out on a date with a person who has a physical disability. Moreover, 12% said it would even bother them to sit in a restaurant next to a physically disabled person.
With regard to employment, 89% of respondents said they would prefer a candidate with no disability over a candidate who has a disability. The poll also showed that two-thirds of the respondents believed many abuse their disability by getting a disabled parking permit or using one without merit.
Moreover, 14% said it bothers them when a disabled person skips the line in front of them. Forty percent said that they shy away from helping a disabled person lest they get embarrassed or offended.
"It seems that there is more awareness of the issue, but the poll shows us that there is still a lot of work ahead," Yuval Wagner, founder and head of Access Israel, said.
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