A group of people from Grace Eyre have been taking part in a week of peaceful protests against the detention and torture of learning disabled and autistic people in Assessment and Treatment Units (ATUs) and private hospitals. One protest took place at Hove Town Hall on 24th June and the other will take place on Thursday 27th June at 12pm outside Richmond House, 79 Whitehall.
Following the shocking abuse at Winterbourne View, it’s now been 8 years since the government and NHS England promised to provide homes instead of hospitals for people with learning disabilities and autism, however there are still around 2500 people stuck in Assessment and Treatment Units and private hospitals. As an organisation whose vision is for a society where people with learning disabilities are respected as equal citizens we find this unacceptable.
Eva Eriksson, Grace Eyre’s CEO, commented, ‘The recent BBC Panorama undercover programme revealed that yet again abuse is not isolated to Winterbourne View or Whorlton Hall, but systemic. This is a country that values human rights and the rhetoric has to stop, it is time for action!’
Stuart MacCallion, one of the people that use Grace Eyre services said, “Seeing it on TV was good because it will help to stop abuse in the future. I think people should have training to stop abuse because people may abuse people when they don’t realise they are and people may be receiving abuse who don’t realise they are. It’s devastating, it’s horrible and it makes people who are abused feel that they don’t trust people anymore.”
For over 100 years Grace Eyre’s vision has been for a society where people with learning disabilities are part of and contribute to their communities, and where people can fulfil their dreams and wishes. If you’d like to join us, please do. You can follow the action on social media #StrippedofHumanRights