I cried when I read the following story online today about a women who is schizophrenic being ordered by the court to have an abortion against her will and also be involuntarily and forcibly sterilized…simply because she is mentally ill. Yep, it’s 2012 and it might as well be the middle ages in terms of the ignorance and stigma around mental illness.
Disabled patients’ wishes ignored – Advocates find disturbing trend
by Peter Schworm , Boston Globe, January 22, 2012
The wishes of individuals declared mentally incompetent often go unheeded in family court, lawyers and social workers say, costing them control over the most personal decisions.
In light of this month’s stunning family court ruling that a woman diagnosed with schizophrenia should undergo an abortion and be sterilized, mental health specialists say the case, while an extreme example, casts light on an often unsettling reality for those deemed unable to make decisions for themselves.
Even when individuals voice opposition to a course of treatment, from antipsychotic medication to hospitalization, the courts often rule otherwise, lawyers say.
Read entire story here
