Institutionalizing battered women in psychiatric hospitals
is as old as prostitution. It's an effective way to silence
and discredit them.
In My Own Practice
I remember a case over 20 years ago in my own practice of a
patient referred by a social worker for a stress-related
neuromuscular disorder. The referring social worker
informed me that the young man's birth mother was a
schizophrenic who had been institutionalized when he was
around five years old.
In my diagnostic interview with the patient, I was struck
by the fact that it was very clear to me that this young
man had distinct, authentic memories of his mother's
involvement in his formative years. His recollections
revealed their apparent bonding.
Following the evaluation, as I was writing my interpretive
report, I kept saying to myself, "Schizophrenic mothers
don't bond with their babies. There must be something wrong
here."
So I called the social worker and asked how she knew of the
patient's mother being diagnosed with schizophrenia. And
she said, "It said so in the court papers."
That was my first encounter with legal psychiatric abuse.
It changed me on a level that took me years to fully
appreciate. I remember vowing to myself that I'd never be
involved in fraudulent psychological conduct.
In My Own Life
My next encounter with this tradition was close to home.
Roughly 12 years ago, I witnessed the custody evaluator in
my own divorce seeking to back me into some psychopathology
of my ex-husband's choosing.
In the doctors frustration, he declared, "You're not
cooperating." And I thought, "You're right...you are not
going to use me to fabricate something that I'm not.
Fortunately, his report revealed no findings of any
psychopathology with respect to me.
Epidemic Plaguing Battered Women
Now fast forward to today. In more cases that come to me
than not, I'm asked to help someone facing
institutionalization or fabricated psychopathology by a
disgruntled controlling partner as part of their divorce.
When I see what this threat does to these women, I'm
disgusted by the actions of those carrying out my
profession in violation of these patients. Giving the
benefit of the doubt to those involved, I'm assuming some
mental health providers do this knowingly and some
inadvertently.
It is my hope by addressing this issue publicly that more
psychologists and psychiatrists will be mindful of these
ploys that entrap battered women everyday. It is estimated
that 95% of battered women going through the domestic abuse
shelter resources will be labeled with some psychopathology
in their route to safety from domestic violence.
If you are a victim of domestic violence, you will want to
know everything you can about this grand legal-psychiatric
ploy before it defines you.
----------------------------------------------------
For more information about legal-psychiatric ploys of
family court violence, read Legal Domestic Abuse. Dr.
Jeanne King, Ph.D. helps people recognize, end and heal
from domestic abuse at home and in court. Copyright 2009
Jeanne King, Ph.D.
http://www.enddomesticabuse.org/legal_domestic_abuse.php
EasyPublish this article: http://submityourarticle.com/articles/easypublish.php?art_id=56700
0 comments
Post a Comment