1. ECT and psychosurgery should be labeled what they are—torture—a nd they should be banned. Their use should be prohibited immediately on children and adolescents 18 years of age or under, the elderly, pregnant women and on any involuntarily committed patient.

2. Criminal laws should specifically provide criminal penalties for psychiatrists and staff who administer ECT and psychosurgery to any non-consenting patient, or if the “informed consent” procedure was in any way shortened.

3. Psychiatrists administering ECT and psychosurgery should be held fully accountable, civilly and criminally, for their effects upon the recipient and be criminally prosecuted for any damage arising from their “treatment.”

4. Mental health homes must be established to replace coercive psychiatric institutions. These must have medical doctors on staff and have medical diagnostic equipment, which non-psychiatric medical doctors can use to thoroughly examine and test for all underlying physical problems that may be manifesting as disturbed behavior . Government and private funds should be channeled into this alternative program rather than abusive psychiatric institutions and programs that have proven not to work.

5. All mental disorders in DSM-IV, to have any worth, should be validated by scientific, physical evidence. Government, criminal, educational, judicial and other social agencies should not rely on the DSM or the ICD-10 mental disorders section and no legislation should use these as a basis for determining the mental state, competency, educational standard or rights of any individual.

6. File a police report on any mental health practitioner found to be using coercion, threats or malice to get people to “concede” to undergo psychiatric treatment. Send a copy of the complaint to CCHR and email an Abuse Case Investigation Form found in the upper LH portion of this page.

For further information:
CCHR International
6616 Sunset Blvd. Los Angeles, CA, USA 90028
Telephone: (323) 467-4242  (800) 869-2247  Fax: (323) 467-3720
www.cchr.org  e-mail: humanrights@cchr.org

THE CITIZENS COMMISSION ON HUMAN RIGHTS
investigates and exposes psychiatric violations of human rights. It works shoulder-to-shoulder with like-minded groups and individuals who share a common purpose to clean up the field of mental health. We shall continue to do so until psychiatry’s abusive and coercive practices cease and human rights and dignity are returned to all.

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