A VISITOR'S PERSPECTIVE

ON THE NEED FOR FEMALE ONLY PSYCHIATRIC WARDS

"Early this year, I accompanied a friend to visit a man- a voluntary inpatient at a private psychiatric clinic, where all patients had single rooms but no segregation of areas according to gender.

During the visit (in a communal garden area, open to all patients at the same time), the man, (patient, in his 50's), pointed out a young women (20 something), saying he had plans to "get off" with her, explaining that he had already made overtures and was on a "sure thing".

Although an inpatient himself, but toward the end of his stay, his conversation sounded rational and he was not obviously deluded, thus I am fairly sure his account was accurate regarding his intent and to the veracity of the overtures he had made.

The young woman concerned was clearly disturbed, looking anxious, jittery and discomforted in the general social situation. According to the man, she had slashed her wrists (sutures just removed) and had multiple cigarette burns, self-inflicted.

When questioned (gently, as I was not confident of his ability to cope with criticism or of his insight), his justification for his actions was that "she was on the game anyway".

He also boasted that whenever he “put himself in” he used to "get off "with various (young) women in the chapel attached to the facility, being quite chuffed with the ease of this 'arrangement'. He said this was always with mutual consent and gave details, unsolicited, to verify his claim.

Away from the facility I expressed my concerns for the above young woman in particular, and others, to my friend; - i.e.

Where a facility does not prevent this sort of predatory behaviour by other patients, the problem of self abasement is exacerbated by the very facility that is suppose to be ameliorating the problem.

After this conversation my friend, inadvisably, put some of this argument to his friend (the male patient). His response was anger, - "it’s not a monastery" and he became very agitated - seeming unable to cope emotionally with the criticism, either because he was still unwell himself, (or he was always like that anyway?)

I am not being judgmental here about the male perpetrator involved - he too was ill and entitled to treatment and protection from decision-making. My criticism is of the policies and procedures of a mental health facility that, in fostering social skills loses the plot, and denies its duty of care to the individual who is ill - whether the male or the female.

When discharged, the person is assessed by their professional carers as able to make decisions.

At this stage of wellness no one has the right to be judgmental or moralistic about those decisions - it’s their business.

But when unwell, as evidenced by the need to stay under professional care, all of those individuals have the right to be protected from a level of decision-making, which can potentially or actually harm others or impinge on their rights and welfare.

This cannot happen where a facility ignores its duty of care towards those whose symptoms of illness include sexual vulnerability or sexual promiscuity (of whatever sexual preference) - this must be balanced with the rights of all the individuals concerned"

By a Woman Visitor.

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For more information contact; -

Female Only Psychiatric Wards Group

P.O. Box 1225, Kensington, Victoria, 3031,Australia

Telephone (mobile) 0404 145 364 (international) +61 404 145 364

Email fopwg@vicnet.net.au

Web site http://home.vicnet.net.au/~fopwg/