Local Mother Speaks Out About Abuse In Mental Heath System
Released on = January 6, 2007, 11:03 am
Press Release Author = Citizens Commsission on Human Rights
Industry = Education
Press Release Summary = Three police officers and two mental health workers came
storming into my home and told me I had to go to the hospital for a checkup, "I was terrified, and so was my son".
Press Release Body = Surrey, BC - Local mother, Zeljka Bosnjak, has filed a
complaint with the Office of the Police Complaint Commissioner, charging that she
was dragged into the psychiatric ward of a nearby hospital, locked up and forced to
take drugs against her will under BC's controversial Mental Health Act.
Bosnjak, who immigrated to Canada from Croatia with her young son in tow, says she
was shocked and horrified at what happened and even more surprised to discover it
was a common occurence. Her nightmare began last February when she missed an
appointment with her Community Mental Health psychiatrist. "Three police officers
and two mental health workers came storming into my home and told me I had to go to
the hospital for a checkup," she says. "I was terrified, and so was my son. They
took me to St. Paul's hospital where they put me in a cell that had nothing but a
mattress, an open metal toilet and a video camera in it. It had no windows and a
heavy door that locked from the outside. They took away my clothes and left me
feeling like a prisoner - even though I had committed no crime."
Bosnjak says her nightmare continued when she was in the hospital and informed the
nurses that she did not want any psychiatric drugs. "One nurse told me that I had a
choice between not taking the drug and seeing my son again." After three weeks,
Bosnjak was finally released and eventually got her case file closed at the
Community Mental Health office that had her committed.
Now, a local human rights group is calling for reform of the mental health system in
which Bosnjak suffered. Citizen's Commission on Human Rights (CCHR), an
international mental health watchdog, says it was contacted by Bosnjak, who wanted
to speak out about the abuse she endured. CCHR researched Bosnjak's case and found
that hers is not an isolated case. "The mental health system in this province is
out of control," says Brian Beaumont, President of the BC Chapter of CCHR, "Every
single day in BC, innocent people are being locked up and drugged against their will
- it's a violation of their basic human rights."
Beaumont says "The prevalence of this type of brutal and unjust involuntary
commitment is a veiled crisis in this province. "People don't know about it because
it is used against those who cannot speak for themselves - the most vulnerable in
our society. The fact is, if you or I dragged someone away, locked them up,
stripped them and drugged them, we would be hauled off to prison - yet psychiatrists
get paid for it after they send it their next bill for 'medical services'".
Bosnjak hopes speaking out will open some eyes and lead to a change in current
mental health legislation. "I hope people pay attention because the mental health
system as it is now is abusive and it has to be changed."
CCHR operates a hotline for victims of psychiatric abuse and assists them to find
resolution as well as provides information to lawmakers and regulatory agencies so
that reforms can take place. Individuals wishing to report a case of psychiatric
abuse, including forced drugging, involuntary commitment and fraudulent diagnosis or
billing, can contact the BC Chapter of Citizen's Commission on Human Rights at
humanrights@lightspeed.ca or 1-800-670-2247.
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