The United Nations human rights state that parents have the responsibility and right to protect their child from exploitation and abuse - how can we do that if no one believes the evidence when we report what happens? We need the hard evidence of cameras in places where our vulnerable children/adults stay whether short term or long term accommodation, or day programs. If they cannot speak as my son cannot, then they are even more vulnerable like children even when they are adults because they cannot defend themselves.
The recent physical bullying and abuse of the young adult Kayley who has a physical disability as well as some learning difficulties, illustrates the need for cameras.
The bullies appeared at Penrith Court,noted in this week's news www.themorningbulletin.com.au/news/young-disabled-woman-allegedly-tortured-before-bei/3535391/
heightens how important cameras are in protecting our vulnerable children, no matter what age they are at risk of being hurt by peers and by carers - the police only caught the offenders because the same stupid bullies who were youth, had filmed what they did to this girl and broadcast it. They went to court this week and may spend up to 25 years in prison. The young girl is traumatized, every parent's nightmare of what could happen to our children. How dare they hurt and bully a defence disability person who only had the use of one hand and had no defence, four people on one.
I hope that justice is dealt. In this case police did investigate because there was camera mobile phone evidence, but usually they do not investigate disability reports of physical attacks, relegating it to maybe having an accident, maybe did it to themselves, often disbelieving the complaint by the parents or the disability person. WE need cameras for evidence.
The NDIS has been noted has taking in 100 reports of abuse to disability people a week,in an article by the Guardian. Those are the ones that are reported, however many go unreported. I believe because parents are worried in case they have nowhere else to put their children for respite or care, young or adult. www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2020/jan/31/ndis-watchdog-is-fielding-nearly-100-allegations-of-abuse-or-neglect-a-week
Human rights for all people are especially relevant for those vulnerable persons with disabilities in articles 5,6, and 7 of the human rights charter.
article 6 -
"Everyone has the right to recognition everywhere as a person before the law"
article 7 -
"All are equal before the law and are entitled without any discrimination to equal protection before the law. All are entitled to equal protection against any discrimination in violation of this declaration and against any incitement to such discrimination."
When the police are refusing to investigate incidents of injuries or assault - even when there is evidence of injuries to a disability person this is discrimination against those with disability.
Human rights for parents of children - young or old children is the right to protect their child.
Disability persons who cannot speak are as vulnerable as children - How can parents protect their children, even grown children, from abuse by others if it is not believed by the law when it is reported? Without cameras we cannot protect our vulnerable disability children, and because police are not acting on the complaints when they should.
This needs to change, and the law needs to implement penalties for carers in respite houses who do not carry out duty of care, or are negligent to those they look after, or fail to report an incident or themselves cause the incident - just as the law is tough on those in daycare centres who care for young children, it should have penalties for those who neglect to care for vulnerable disability persons or who in fact may be abusing them when this occurs.
Article 19
Governments should ensure that children
are properly cared for and protect them from
violence, abuse and neglect ....not only by their parents,
but anyone else who looks after them.
Article23
Children who have any kind of disability
should receive special care and support so that
they can live a full and independent life.
Dont give up fighting for your child's rights and your rights as a parent - keep fighting the good fight!
Thank you for signing my petition - please share it on your facebooks or other platforms so that more signatures can be gathered. If you have a story to tell then put it on here in the petition comments or add to the discussion on this update which adds to the reasons why we need cameras, or you can film yourself talking about what has happened to your child or send an audio to me on wheatleyanndrea@gmail.com and I will put it on a petition update so that we can gather more evidence to support this petition.
Anndrea Wheatley