Complete this simple survey

http://www.leftfootforward.org/2010/01/lottery-fund-gives-grant-for-research-into-autism-hate-crime/

High profile cases like that of the Pilkington family – in which tormented mother Fiona Pilkington killed herself and daughter Francecca Hardwick after being terrorised for years by local thugs – have meant that, in recent months, many people have heard of the idea of ‘disability hate crime’.

However, very few people realise how serious this problem actually is. Unfortunately, in many cases, this includes the police.

As a result, many victims of disability hate crime do not report the crimes for fear that they will not be believed or taken seriously if and when they do so.

So the news that hate crime towards autistic people will be the subject of a new £350,000 Big Lottery-funded research programme run by the Tizard Centre at the University of Kent, which aims to provide a better understanding of the hate crimes and victimisation targeted at such people, will no doubt be welcomed by people with all disabilities, including those who have been fortunate enough never to have been victims of a specific hate crime themselves.

It is to be hoped that news of this research will encourage more disabled people across the UK to report anything that they may consider to be a specific disability hate crime to the police as soon as possible and without fear. In September, Care Services Minister Phil Hope pledged a national autism strategy, reported by Left Foot Forward.

Senior lecturer in learning disability and principal investigator of the new project, Dr Julie Beadle-Brown, told Thanet News:

“It’s partly down to the fact that we have spent the past 30 years moving people out of institutions and into the community, allowing them to live where they like.

“But they can’t really be integrated if they can’t go out, are treated differently or worse if they are robbed or burgled. How often that sort of thing happens we don’t know, but what we do know is that it does happen.”

Maria Bremmers, network co-ordinator of Autism London, added:

“A number of excellent community safety initiatives can be found in the UK, and Kent is no exception. But there is little robust evidence to inform policy and practice, especially concerning the experiences of people with autism.

“There is a strong commitment from all the stakeholders in this project to make a real difference by filling the gaps in knowledge and, where necessary, making real and lasting change.”

FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITY

IBM INTERN PROGRAM

An opportunity for IT and Business/ Marketing  (Finance, Marketing and Project Co-ordination) students who have experienced disability and who are interested in finding out about careers within IBM.

IBM is an Employer of Choice with a reputation as an organisation that respects and values diversity.

IBM demonstrates their commitment to disability through their Platinum membership of the Australian Employers’ Network on Disability.

IBM is holding information sessions in Sydney and Melbourne for students interested in finding out about IBM’s intern program for 2010. 

The session is open to interested IT and Commerce/Business students who  experience any type of disability, and will assist those who attend to develop an understanding of the IBM employment proposition.

The session will provide valuable hints and tips that will assist you to prepare a standout application including:

§  Identifying employment opportunities at IBM;

§  Eligibility to the intern program and discussion of IBM’s graduate program;

§  Asking for reasonable adjustments that may be needed during the application process;

§  Dealing with disclosure of disability concerns;

§  How to highlight strengths in the selection process;

§  Dealing with concerns about weak areas – for example lower grades on a transcript.

The sessions are an ideal opportunity to meet a member of IBM’s disability networking  group and Australian Employers’ Network on Disability staff. The session will run for approximately 2 hours.

Sydney session scheduled for 10am-12pm Tues 13^th October at IBM’s St Leonards Centre.

Melbourne session scheduled for 10am-12pm Wed 14^th October at IBM’s SouthBank Centre.

To secure your place at one of these sessions and to obtain updated venue information please email mark.lazaroo@aend.org.au or call (02) 9261 3922.

Last week, Autism Speaks continued their pattern of exploitation of Autistic people and our families by releasing the video “I am Autism”, in which Autistic people are portrayed as stolen children and burdens on our families and on society. Contrary to some claims, Autism Speaks continues to promote the video on its website and through youtube. In addition, this is just a small part of a long history of problems with Autism Speaks.

Autism Speaks uses unethical fundraising tactics relying on fear and devaluing the lives of Autistic people: Autism Speaks’ unethical fundraising tactics are not limited to the new “I am Autism” video. Its television Public Service Announcements compare having a child on the autism spectrum to having a child caught in a fatal car accident or struck by lightning. Autism as a fate worse than death is a consistent theme in Autism Speaks’ fundraising.

Very little money donated to Autism Speaks goes toward helping Autistic people and families: According to their 2008 annual report, only 4% of Autism Speaks’ budget goes towards the “Family Service” grants that are the organization’s means of funding services. Given the huge sums of money Autism Speaks raises from local communities as compared to the miniscule sums returned to services, supports or educational initiatives that have a practical impact on the lives of Autistic people and our family members,  Autism Speaks is a tremendous drain on the ability of communities to fund autism service-provision and education initiatives. Furthermore, while the bulk of Autism Speaks’ budget goes towards research (65%), only a small minority of Autism Speaks’ research budget goes towards research oriented around improving services, supports, treatments and educational methodologies available to Autistic adults and children.

Autism Speaks excludes the people it pretends to represent: Autism Speaks is one of an increasingly few number of major disability advocacy organizations that refuse to include any individual with the disability they purport to serve on their board of directors or at any point in their leadership and decision-making processes. In large part due to Autism Speaks public relations strategy of presenting Autistic people as silent burdens on society rather than human beings with thoughts, feelings and opinions of our own, Autism Speaks’ governance policies are deeply unrepresentative and out of step with the mainstream of the non-profit and disability communities.

Autism Speaks funds eugenics: A major portion of Autism Speaks research agenda is oriented around genetic research with eugenic implications. One of Autism Speaks major priorities is the identification of genetic biomarkers for the autism spectrum, thus allowing the prenatal identification and potential selective abortion of Autistic fetuses prior to birth. We are not opposed to genetic research and we take no position on the broader abortion issue, but we are deeply concerned about the potential for eugenics in Autism Speaks’ research. The refusal of the organization to consider the ethical, moral and social implications of what it funds is deeply concerning, particularly given the 92% rate of selective abortion for the developmental disability Down Syndrome. Rather than fund research and services that can help to improve the quality of life of Autistic adults and children, Autism Speaks funding is primarily directed towards preventing our very existences.

For these reasons and others, we assert that Autism Speaks does not speak for us. ASAN is organizing protests all over the country, with a successful one in Portland, Oregon having already occurred. If you’d like to participate in the protest, e-mail us at info@autisticadvocacy.org. Together, we can take action against an exploitative organization and reclaim our voice.

Thank you and, as always, Nothing About Us Without Us!

Regards,
Ari Ne’eman
President
The Autistic Self Advocacy Network
http://www.autisticadvocacy.org
info@autisticadvocacy.org
732.763.5530

AUSTRALIA

20/5/09

A4 LOCKS OUT AUTISTIC MEMBERS

STATEMENT CONCERNING A4 – AUTISM ASPERGER ADVOCACY AUSTRALIA

ASAN AUSTRALIA understands from its members that as of today all Autistic members have been exclude from the Steering Committee of A4 (Autism Asperger Advocacy Australia) which has now been renamed the A4 Advisory Group. Convener of the A4 Advisory Group Bob Buckley states in an email to all A4 members:

“A majority group decided to separate itself from a minority dissenting group (formerly in A4 SC) who do not accept and object to long-standing polices and practices of the A4 SC.”

This minority dissenting group just happens to contain all of the people with a diagnosed Autism Spectrum Disorder that sat on the A4 Steering Committee up until 18/5/09. This minority group has long been battling to be part of the national voice that is A4 and now finds themselves excluded from the very group that once claimed to represent them.

ASAN AUSTRALIA finds this situation unacceptable, reprehensible in fact. We suggest that in light of this move A4 not be seen as a legitimate voice for those on the autism spectrum. Nothing about us without us.

An ASAN AUSTRALIA Convener can be contacted for comment via autisticadvocacy@gmail.com