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Access: Disability abuse: it’s not OK

61 Responses

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  • Angela Hart, in reply to Hilary Stace,

    serious collaborative self-reflection and ask whether they are the problem or can actually work with families to find proper community-based, person-centred solutions.

    I don't think much has changed in the way of achieving proper community based person centred solutions. One house move ago our neighbour's son jumped off the harbour bridge after being taken off his medication by the mental health people supposedly taking care of him. He had been doing well on the meds. There were signs he wasn't after they stopped. But he died. End of problem. He was a fine young man, albeit not your average bloke.

    Christchurch • Since Apr 2014 • 614 posts Report Reply

  • Rosemary McDonald, in reply to Hilary Stace,

    and ask whether they are the problem or can actually work with families to find proper community-based, person-centred solutions.

    Here are decisions from the Health and Disability Commission re; complaints about mental health services about incidents until 2012.

    And...

    Families matter

    Waikato, or on the road • Since Apr 2014 • 1346 posts Report Reply

  • Hilary Stace, in reply to Rosemary McDonald,

    Thanks for those references

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report Reply

  • Rosemary McDonald,

    And this.

    And here's the Health and Disability Commission report

    Naming the provider...Creative Abilities and Associates Ltd

    Waikato, or on the road • Since Apr 2014 • 1346 posts Report Reply

  • Angela Hart,

    Todays news mentions the case Rosemary linked to.
    http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/regional/300425/no-charges-over-auckland-care-home-death

    Care instructions were not followed and resulted in a death. But no charges will be laid, presumably because legal advice to the Police indicates that a conviction would be unlikely.
    The problem is that we don’t have clear consequences for failure to follow care plans. The care worker and the institution were both found to have breached the person’s rights, but the punishment for this is unclear, if in fact there is one. I’d have thought the circumstances fitted manslaughter, but it’s rare for anyone to face any legal consequence. Disability discrimination?

    Christchurch • Since Apr 2014 • 614 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Rosemary McDonald,

    Creative Abilities

    Ah, one of the large sheltered workshop outfits. Didn't know they ran housing as well.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Hilary Stace,

    Two court cases about sexual abuse reported today reflect some issues of disability abuse. A school caretaker/ former principal was recently convicted of long term sexual abuse, including of disabled girls, and today got a long sentence. People are asking how this can have gone on for so long?

    In another case a ‘prominent’ New Zealander has been acquitted of sexual abuse of two girls. Although it was not reported whether the girls had any kind of disability, the girls were apparently not considered credible witnesses by the jury after their testimony was attacked by the defence lawyer.

    This sheds light on the first situation (without making any judgement on the case above). The former principal was astute enough to pick on victims who were voiceless or whose complaints would not be considered credible particularly against his considerable status and power. It is very difficult for disabled or vulnerable young people to challenge such power and privilege. So he was protected by the system for decades and his abusing continued.

    Name suppression is also a tool which protects the abusers not the victims as it becomes illegal to name or discuss the person in any context. That also stops other victims realising and reporting that he was also their abuser.

    Wgtn • Since Jun 2008 • 3229 posts Report Reply

  • Angela Hart, in reply to Rosemary McDonald,

    Two years later the HDC report agrees Rosemary, Nathan should never have been left alone in the bath, but two years down the track, what have the consequences of this negligent care been to the caregivers and their employer? Are the current crop of people being cared for in this place any safer than Nathan was?

    http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/national/313692/teen-should-never-have-been-left-alone-in-bath-watchdog

    Christchurch • Since Apr 2014 • 614 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha, in reply to Angela Hart,

    what have the consequences of this negligent care been to the caregivers

    They have to write a letter to the family saying sorry we killed your son. Wettest bus ticket ever.

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • Sacha,

    Nathan's mother talks to RNZ Morning Report (4 mins, audio options).

    Ak • Since May 2008 • 19745 posts Report Reply

  • defectivemanbot,

    One of the biggest problems with reporting Disability Abuse is that either the victim is not believed or made out to be the Abuser , so double victimised , Myself and several other disabled people have been told when contacting the It's not OK people that we are blaming others for our own problems , so in these cases the helpline people are no better than the Abusers the disabled person is calling them about , a lot of people who tried to use the Its not OK line , felt the reaction they received made them worse than not complaining at all , so to many of is it seems its the same old same old , why complain , disability abuse is so normalised , and social attitudes are such that we the disabled are not abused we just have a chip on our shoulder and when your a disabled parent and the abuser is also abusing your child and no one believes you it makes you as a parent feel trapped and worthless .

    Waikato • Since Nov 2017 • 1 posts Report Reply

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