Vision Australia has launched a campaign today, International White Cane Day, to educate the community about vision loss and white cane etiquette to improve the mobility experience of white cane users across Australia.
The campaign is based on a recent survey conducted by Vision Australia that found that over 55 per cent of respondents have experienced negative comments or behaviours while using their white cane. This discrimination overwhelmingly occurred in retail spaces and public eating places such as restaurants or cafes, or while travelling on public transport.
Vision Australia’s Maryanne Diamond, General Manager of Advocacy and Engagement, and white cane user, said that this discrimination may arise from a lack of knowledge, or a misconception, that some people may have about blindness and low vision and the tools designed to support people affected by vision loss.
“The white cane is the most commonly used mobility aid by the blindness and low vision community. It supports people who are blind or have low vision to be independent, whether it’s making their way to work or around the supermarket,” said Maryanne.
“I am very pleased to say that most white cane users have positive experiences when out and about in the community and that generally, people are very supportive. However, sometimes white cane users get asked questions about whether they legitimately need to use a white cane.”
Maryanne Diamond believes that a better understanding of how vision loss impacts individuals will go a long way to improving this situation.
“There are over 350,000 people affected by vision loss across Australia, but only around 10 per cent of this group are totally blind. The majority of people affected by vision loss have some usable sight, and what level of vision they have can be further impacted by the conditions around them, such as the amount of daylight,” confirmed Maryanne.
“It can be confusing for people to see someone with a white cane do something that makes it appear that they have full vision, such as stop on the street and look in the shop window or walk into a café and read a menu.
“However, due to the complexity of vision loss, it’s impossible to make a decision about what a person can, or cannot see, just by observing them.”
The research also found that some white cane users have had a person grab their white cane to try and guide them, or step over their white cane. In addition, some users have had a person react when they were accidentally tapped by a white cane on their lower leg.
“All white cane users have been trained by orientation and mobility specialists and are skilled in navigating different environments. White cane users get out and about and travel as far and wide as sighted members of their community, whether it’s to their local park or jet-setting around the world,” said Maryanne.
“While a person might feel that they are being helpful by guiding someone with a white cane, they can put the white cane user at risk.
“Also, there are different types of white canes that are used by people depending on their vision level. The long white cane, for example, needs to be swept across a space to give the user vital information about what is in front of them. We therefore ask that people give white cane users more room and to also understand that any physical contact with a white cane is not intentional.”
Vision Australia is calling on people to support white cane users get about safely and with confidence in our communities by following three basic steps.
“If you want to engage with a white cane user follow our Triple A advice. Approach, Ask, Assist. Greet the person, ask if they would like assistance and, finally, listen to their answer and act on their reply,” advised Maryanne.