Disturbing Picture of Assaults on Disabled People
20 April 2007The growing number of complaints of assaults on intellectually disabled people at the Haumietiketike Unit at Porirua Hospital paints a deeply disturbing picture says Disabled Persons Assembly CEO Gary Williams.
Gary Williams was responding to reports of that complaints of abuse, assault and over-enthusiastic restraint have been made over the last five years.
"It's my understanding that these complaints don't seem to have been satisfactorily addressed- that's disturbing enough" he says.
But it's more alarming that there have been such a number of complaints from different disabled individuals he continues.
These are people who are held under the Intellectual Disability Compulsory Care and Rehabilitation Act, and we believe their basic human rights are infringed when these people complain of abuse abnd the act doesn't seem to protect them. These are serious complaints, and need to be dealt with promptly, properly and openly.
Gary Williams is concerned about what these complaints mean for the bigger picture too. There needs to be reconsideration on whether the act is fully consistent with the Disability Convention that the government has just signed he says. Change seems to be needed.