Who are the people in mental institutions?
Gabor Gombos, WNUSP, Hungary All over the world millions of people live in long term mental institutions. Most of them did not choose that way of living. Many of them are de facto and de jure arbitrarily detained in those places. The living conditions may vary from place to place, nevertheless the majority, if not all of the “residents” of these facilities face neglect, physical, sexual and verbal abuse, forced drugging, inhuman and degrading treatment. The conditions are often life-threatening. These institutions are generally located in the middle of nowhere. People living there are the most invisible human beings on the Earth. Many of them are, in fact, not citizens either, as inhuman guardianship laws deprive them of exercising their citizens rights. Who are they? The “lucky outsider” could think that they are insane, brain diseased, dangerous or fully incapable. Campaigns led in the spirit of the medical model could reinforce that view. Nevertheless, if you are brave enough to vis
