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Allegations of Abuse
in Institutions |
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The Government is considering
compensation for nearly 500 former patients in mental health institutions
after a damning report detailing physical, mental and sexual abuse during
their confinement. The report of a confidential forum
for former patients of Some former patients have already
started civil proceedings against the Crown, but forum chairman Judge Patrick
Mahoney said yesterday most simply wanted an apology from the Crown for
experiences "that were deeply humiliating and demeaning, often taking a
life-long toll" . Neither an offer of compensation
nor an apology was forthcoming yesterday. The Government said it was still
weighing its response. Former patients told of being held
in dirty, overcrowded hospital rooms; being subjected to physical and sexual violence;
of fear and humiliation; use of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT);
over-medication; and lack of privacy. Patients described care by staff
as "ranging from indifference and lack of respect to callous,
threatening, abusive and/or violent treatment" , the forum's report
says. "Participants described a culture of threats, verbal abuse,
taunting, goading and bullying. They described beatings and patients being
dragged by their hair to seclusion rooms," it says. Some participants alleged rape and
other sexual misconduct by staff and other patients, including forming sexual
relationships with staff, sexual taunting and sexual violation.
"Participants almost universally used the words `sexual abuse' when
speaking of what they had experienced." Treatment practices at the
hospitals came in for heavy criticism in the report, including the use of
solitary confinement in dark and dirty rooms with no toilet. Some participants alleged ECT had
been used on pregnant women and without medication as a punishment. "They spoke of waiting with
others for ECT and building levels of fear as their turn approached; of
hearing the screams of others as they received ECT," the report says. Participants said their medication
was heavy, leaving them "zombies" , and led in some cases to
long-term damage. The panel makes no recommendations
and does not test the evidence provided by participants, and does not
identify patients or link events with specific hospitals. But it lists 53 psychiatric units
mentioned by former patients, including
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