Victims of alleged abuse in care are expected to give “harrowing” evidence at an the inquiry into the abuse of disabled people in institutions and homes in Australia, set to start in Perth on Friday.

“I suspect it will be shocking and harrowing, but hopefully the evidence is too strong for the federal government to ignore, ” WA Greens senator Rachel Siewert said.

Ms Siewert called for the Senate inquiry following a joint investigation between Fairfax Media and the ABC Four Corners program, which exposed the Victorian disability services organisation Yooralla, which continued to employ staff who had previous preyed on disabled clients.