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U.N. Report Suggests Some Autism & Addiction Treatments Are Akin to Torture

Geordie

Geordie
So-called treatments for drug users and the disabled in some places of the world?including the U.S.? are far from helpful, says a new United Nations (U.N.) report.

The U.N. special rapporteur on torture, Juan Mendez, presented the report to the agency?s Human Rights Council in Geneva this week, and says that some practices used to treat autism and addiction are ?tantamount to torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment.?

The report singled out tactics such as forced labor, punitive use of electric shock, prolonged restraint and isolation, rape and other sexual violence in detention, as well as and denial of maintenance medications like methadone or buprenorphine (Suboxone) in treating addiction. It also reported on failures to provide adequate pain treatment as potentially constituting torture. Even when these practices fall short of outright torture and are merely ?ill treatment,? they should be banned in health settings because they ?frequently facilitate torture,? the report says.

Citing accounts from human rights organizations on centers in Asia where drug users and homeless people are rounded up for ?treatment,? the special rapporteur details sickening abuses including ?tate-sanctioned beatings, caning or whipping, forced labour, sexual abuse and intentional humiliation,? and ?flogging therapy,? ?bread and water therapy? and electroshock resulting in seizures, all in the guise of rehabilitation.?

The report notes that these ?[c]ompulsory treatment programmes that consist primarily of physical disciplinary exercises, often including military-style drills, disregard medical evidence.? Both the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) say that that simple incarceration and forced labor are not ?recognized by science as treatments for drug use disorders.?

While the U.S. does not place drug users in brutal work camps without trials? as has been documented in countries like Vietnam, Laos and China? there are some American correctional boot camps, rehabilitation centers and treatment facilities for the disabled and mentally ill that rely on tactics Mendez wants banned.

MORE: From Vietnam?s Forced-Labor Camps: ?Blood Cashews?

The special rapporteur, who is responsible for bringing international attention to inhumane practices wherever they are found, met in December with addiction and disability advocates in Washington. His report specifically mentions the use of punitive electric shock treatment, which is practiced at the Judge Rotenberg Center (JRC) in Canton on autistic children, as a therapy that should be prohibited internationally.

The facility?the only one in the world still using such tactics? has long been targeted by advocates for the disabled because of its use of electric shocks. The ?treatment? is delivered by a device on the skin whenever patients break rules, even for violations as mild as talking or moving restlessly during class. Of JRC, Mendez said, ?the rights of the students of the JRC subjected to?electric shock and physical means of restraints have been violated under the U.N. Convention against Torture and other international standards.? Mendez had previously called for a U.N. investigation of the facility and an investigation by the U.S. Department of Justice is ongoing.

In December, the FDA sent a letter to the program warning officials that the shock devices were not approved and must be removed. That same month, the Centers for Medicaid and Medicare Services announced that it would no longer pay for treatment of any type at Rotenberg.

Nonetheless, many parents of children at the center want to continue the shock treatment because they claim it is the only thing that works for their children. But the center has never published randomized controlled trials documenting that the treatment is better than non-punitive alternatives.

The U.N. report also criticizes more widespread treatment approaches used in the U.S. Many treatment programs ? including those demonstrated on television by Dr. Drew in programs like Celebrity Rehab and Sober House ? oppose the use of long term maintenance with methadone or buprenorphine (Suboxone), which are considered among the most effective treatments for heroin or painkiller addiction.

?A particular form of ill-treatment and possibly torture of drug users is the denial of opiate substitution treatment,? the report says, noting that this is considered a human rights violation when done in jails and prisons. ?Similar reasoning should apply to the non-custodial context,? it says, meaning that provision of such treatment should be required when desired by patients and where evidence suggests it would help. Some countries ? like Russia ? completely ban the use of maintenance treatments, despite the fact that they have been shown to cut overdose deaths dramatically. American prisons also routinely deny access to maintenance medications, citing concerns about inmates selling them, which puts them in violation of these human rights.

?I think this is the most powerful U.N. statement calling denial of opioid substitution treatment a denial of the right to be free from cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment,? says Rebecca Schleifer of Human Rights Watch, which exposed many of the international treatment abuses.

MORE: Hazelden Introduces Antiaddiction Medications into Recovery for First Time

Mendez also cites denial of access to pain treatment as a torturous practice in health care settings. According to the WHO, 83% of the world?s population has little or no access to treatment for severe pain with the most effective medications like morphine, even at the end of life. Poor and middle income countries house half the world?s cancer patients and 95% of all new HIV cases, but only use 6% of the world?s supply of morphine. ?Failure to ensure access to controlled medicines for the relief of pain and suffering threatens fundamental rights to health and to protection against cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment,? the report says.

Mendez says such treatment can constitute torture in many cases. ?Medical care that causes severe suffering for no justifiable reason can be considered cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, and if there is State involvement and specific intent, it is torture.? Based on this argument, the report calls for bans on inhumane practices and prosecution of people who continue to carry them out.

While it is highly unlikely that a U.N. report will eliminate all of the abuses that continue in the name of treatment, simply acknowledging that they are unacceptable represents an important first step in addressing, and potentially eliminating them.



U.N. Report Suggests Some Autism & Addiction Treatments Are Akin to Torture | TIME.com
 
I didn't see much about Autism on there, but nevertheless it really pissed me off. I don't even know how begin to comprehend how badly that article irked me the wrong way. Maybe the people who do these things knowingly and still do so should have some Romanesque type torture put upon them. Because when shock torture fails to justify, the bronze cow still exists.
 
Fair enough, though I think for sake of the article the notion of "disability" it could be clumped with the rest here. Still too many people (doctors, "experts", etc.) think they know how to fix it.

And to play the devils advocate; I've heard people that take meds (even prescribed) being called "drug-users".
 
OK!!!!!! Don't know where to start in describing how unjust, disgusting, and disturbing this is! I mean, do these people really think that these methods actually work or do they feel it's the only way to solve these problems? There are many other approaches that are more suitable for treatment than this. Also, why on Earth are these practices still carried out when most of them are completely illegal? Most of these torture treatments went out decades ago!!! Can't believe they think things like flogging, forced labor, and electric shock are acceptable means of treatment. I am gonna stop here because I could ramble on and on and on about how disgusted I am with the existence of these "treatments".
 
I didn't see much about Autism on there, but nevertheless it really pissed me off. I don't even know how begin to comprehend how badly that article irked me the wrong way. Maybe the people who do these things knowingly and still do so should have some Romanesque type torture put upon them. Because when shock torture fails to justify, the bronze cow still exists.

I note that you tie this to religion instantly. Do you think people need religion to do horrible things to one another ? The Khmer Rouge were atheist. The Stalinists were atheist. The Nazis were covertly and openly atheist. Religion or Lack of Religion is not the cause of the bloodletting. The human animal is capable of that all by themselves.

Anyway, yes, what is described in the original article above does really happen and if you are on the spectrum in certain countries your best option, if it is an option may be to get out. The state of understanding spectrum disorders in your country is also a factor in deciding if and when to even get a diagnosis.
 
I note that you tie this to religion instantly. Do you think people need religion to do horrible things to one another ? The Khmer Rouge were atheist. The Stalinists were atheist. The Nazis were covertly and openly atheist. Religion or Lack of Religion is not the cause of the bloodletting. The human animal is capable of that all by themselves.

Anyway, yes, what is described in the original article above does really happen and if you are on the spectrum in certain countries your best option, if it is an option may be to get out. The state of understanding spectrum disorders in your country is also a factor in deciding if and when to even get a diagnosis.

What are you talking about? Did you even read what I had typed there or are you just going off on me because I am an Atheist? I had never used any kind of religion reference in my post, nor do I think this is the place to do so in any way. I used the term "Romanesque" because the Romans used the bronze cow among other brutal torture devices as a way to punish people at the time. I felt that since these people were so relentless and knowing about this, that they should have been put into a bronze cow. Now even if that is a bit rash, it has nothing to do about religion at all.

Also on a side note, please actually listen to some of Hitler's speeches, he openly denounces the Jewish people and says it is "By God's hand" to kill them. Now I of course wouldn't use that against you, because he was a Christian extremist, but nevertheless, please, don't act so daft.
 
I honestly didn't really link religion to the article and the response of Silent ABAB either. But some people interpret posts not as the way intended (not saying there's anything wrong with that).

I just hope that you guys can keep it civilized if you want to discuss it. But keep it related to the initial post.
 
What are you talking about? Did you even read what I had typed there or are you just going off on me because I am an Atheist? I had never used any kind of religion reference in my post, nor do I think this is the place to do so in any way. I used the term "Romanesque" because the Romans used the bronze cow among other brutal torture devices as a way to punish people at the time. I felt that since these people were so relentless and knowing about this, that they should have been put into a bronze cow. Now even if that is a bit rash, it has nothing to do about religion at all.

Also on a side note, please actually listen to some of Hitler's speeches, he openly denounces the Jewish people and says it is "By God's hand" to kill them. Now I of course wouldn't use that against you, because he was a Christian extremist, but nevertheless, please, don't act so daft.

Yes, perhaps I did misread your post. I thought you were alluding to religion with the terms Romanesque and the Bronze Cow which was often a symbol of worship. I had no idea of it being a instrument of torture. 'Daft' ? I don't know. Does one know when one is daft ? But this I know, I am totally sick of zealots on both sides of the religion issue. The Proselytizing and vitriolic Anti-Religion crowd have an agenda, neither is listening, and open discussion is impossible.

To make a small side note historic correction: Hiltlers 'speeches' were propaganda, and are poor material to determine his intent. Remember how he assured Chamberlain and everyone else he wouldn't invade any more countries, etc. Privately he regretted having to work with what he considered an effete christian religion and only withheld suppressing it because of the problems he felt it would cause in the population in Germany. Elsewhere, in the east particularly, where he had a free hand he suppressed religion and threw clerics in the concentration camps along with everyone else he hated, where most perished. His ultimate intent, after the war was to supress religion, and replace it with national worship of Germany, with himself as leader. Much of the rest of the Nazi leadership and was in fact openly atheist.

How do you know so much about torture?
 
I honestly didn't really link religion to the article and the response of Silent ABAB either. But some people interpret posts not as the way intended (not saying there's anything wrong with that).

I just hope that you guys can keep it civilized if you want to discuss it. But keep it related to the initial post.

Sorry, did not see this till after posted above. But let me take the opportunity to post a complaint against silent ABAB for having an offensive signature. Yes, I know its common, and many anti-theists have them, but it doesn't change the fact that it is stating people who follow a religion are stupid. With every post they can offend & that is their intent oftentimes. Personally I don't care what a persons beliefs are. But I do wish they would keep them out of my freaking face 24/7.
 
Sorry, did not see this till after posted above. But let me take the opportunity to post a complaint against silent ABAB for having an offensive signature. Yes, I know its common, and many anti-theists have them, but it doesn't change the fact that it is stating people who follow a religion are stupid. With every post they can offend & that is their intent oftentimes. Personally I don't care what a persons beliefs are. But I do wish they would keep them out of my freaking face 24/7.

Might I remind you that even if your claim is a valid one, the way to complain out and in the open in fact is against forumpolicy. To be found here

1. Insulting or personal attacks on other members is prohibited.
2. Do not attempt to "flame", "troll" or bait other members into arguments.
 
If I were tasered for being autistic, my selective mutism would turn permanent.
 
If I were tased for my condition I'm really not sure what I would after I regained my posture, it would likely land me in jail. Perhaps its part of the whole having to retaliate thing I do with jokes at my expense, but I'm a firm believer in a eye for an eye and a hand for finger. I turned the cheek too much during elementary school. I vowed never to do so again in middle school or my life for that matter. I have a tendency to intervene if I see someone being mistreated and it often got me in trouble as I was very hot tempered from the day I hit puverty. The fact the US still uses barbaric treatments such as electro shock is disturbing for me. I thought such treatments were outlawed in before I was born. Hell, we don't even use the electric chair for execution anymore except for special circumstances. Hanus murderers are permitted a painless death through lethal injection yet the mentally ill are forced to endure this. Just helps reaffirm my disgust with our society and parts of government. I will keep my brain as it is, unless you'd like me to attach those electrodes to your testicles, you would be wise to keep your torture devices away from me and anyone else not on death row.
 
I found the part about denial of pain medication interesting. I never really thought of it as torture before, but being someone who is in constant pain and is constantly denied any sort of pain management, I can attest to the fact that it does feel like torture sometimes.
 
Funny how they didn't mention chelation therapy as cruel and/or unusual, as if we're just walking masses of brain damaged toxic waste...I remember reading an article about chelation therapy gone wrong that resulted in the death of an autistic child. Seems to me like some parents will go to extreme lengths to "normalize" their child and their functioning, at the risk of their very own reputation as well as the well-being of their children. These kinds of scenarios never play out well and the end result is devastating.

I don't see how this is supposed to promote positive behavior - fear and shock, perhaps, but this is humiliating and unethical at the least. This pisses me off as much as the next person and I'm thankful that I never had to be subject to any of this torture.
 
Might I remind you that even if your claim is a valid one, the way to complain out and in the open in fact is against forumpolicy. To be found here

One of my favorite things about this site is the existence of policies like this, and the fact that Moderators are on the ball with regards to these things. Definitely makes this site different from the one I used to use.
 

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