Animals seem to get more of a fair go than our disability children or adult children! Take for instance the recent protests in Sydney where all the media could talk about was the police horse being hit, and its ok the horse is alright now. Or was that because it was a police horse it mattered?. The footage did not actually show anyone punching the horse at all and the media used the situation against the protesters.
I wrote a blog in 2019 about the horses being mistreated at Luddenham, NSW, which were caught on secret cameras and leaked out to the media and news on TV. Previously some had been champion race horses but now their careers over they were sent to be slaughtered or whatever and the footage was shocking, the horses dragged off trucks with ropes, dragged onto the ground, hit and poked with with electric prongs. The race industry were exposed that day for their cruelty. Lucky they caught it on camera. When it comes to money and greed humans can be despicable with both animals and humans.
In disabilities the greed by providers has made many of them also despicable and clever at covering up any of their neglect and cruelty to disability children and adults. For shame it's so wrong and we must stop them and call them out on it.
When my son got hurt in a respite house with an assault to the head by, I believe, a worker, the police did not take interest in investigating the worker and actually did not meet my son. At least they did send a police car to the respite house. That was something. They said he probably fell over, kids get bruises all the time they refused to do any proper investigation about it. No cameras no crime they said. Police wont believe or treat an incident as credible in disabilities, even when someone attacks a disability kid like my son who is quiet gentle and cannot defend himself. Much like the police horses which cant defend themselves either or talk about it. So everyone feels sorry for the horses if they see footage and it gets played up by the media…
Recently when James was punched to the arm and received deep trauma injuries at the NADO day program the police did not ask the organization about it until six weeks later with a phone call. I took him in to meet them this time and they said we are wearing body cams just so you know, and I said my son needs body cameras like you guys. Look at his bruises I dont want him to go through this all his life. He cant speak. Get it? They said they would send a patrol car out to the day program. They never did.
But police horses, they matter so much more! WE have to feel sorry for the horses yet not the human beings who are not being protected in care with no CCTV cameras being made mandatory. Horses are so much more important.
The need to hunt down all protesters and fine them by police stands in stark contrast to police refusing to follow up the assault on my son or question the disability workers involved. These are double standards of our selfish society. How sickening the values are of the justice system and media in Australia who plays up what the government wants it to say.
Does the life of a disability person mean so little that it is ignored when they are harmed or die and it remains unexplained? How dare they! the providers and ndis who do nothing to stop it happening! Every person in this land has a right to be unharmed and free from fear of being hurt and a right to protection and justice that includes our vulnerable disability children and they have a right to life. A decent life. Parents have the right according to the United Nations human rights charter to protect their children from harm yet in disabilities they are hindered on every side and the providers walk away laughing because CCTV cameras have not been made mandatory in disabilities where those who are attacked abuse harmed or killed cannot defend themselves. For shame Australia how could you?! WE need CCTV cameras to protect our children and we need laws to protect them more - the laws are not strong enough at present to protect them from deviant providers or carers who would hurt them or exploit them.
Parents must stand up and champion their disability child's right to a decent life, a flourishing life, and the right to have life as we all have that even the horses have that...

Anndrea x

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