ARW – Project France

Share  On Thursday February 9, at Matignon, French Prime Minister François Fillon brought together the associations forming the collective “Autism Together” to attribute the title of National Cause of 2012. He gave a speech in the presence of Roselyne Bachelot, Minister of Solidarities and Social Cohesion. Extracts: “Other than a national campaign on public broadcasting channels, made possible by the National Cause label, the minister of Health will make available to the National Cause all means of communication necessary to [...]

ShareThe week of Feb. 6 to Feb. 12, 2012 was mostly a European-centered week for “Support The Wall – Autism” and its sister organization “Collectif Soutenons Le Mur”. The NGO Reporters Without Borders issued a statement supporting Sophie Robert and considered that the court ruling is threatening documentary filmmaking in France”. The French Prime Minister organized a meeting with the French autism organizations to launch officially the “Grande Cause Nationale” P.R. campaign. He expressed the desire to launch a new [...]

SharePaul O’Donoghue, a clinical psychologist and founder member of the Irish Skeptics Society, wrote an article in the Irish Times on Feb. 9, 2012 about the censorship of the film “The Wall” in France. Irish Times is the leading daily newspaper in the Republic of Ireland. Paul O’Donoghue analyzes the content of the movie, the issues in autism in France and the efforts for change in France. He also opens his paper to the broader question of libel laws reforms [...]

ShareThe Thinking Person’s Guide To Autism, an acclaimed blog run by parents and self-advocates, published on January 20th 2012 an essay of David Heurtevent, the spokesperson and co-founder of “Support The Wall – Autism”. This long post titled “A Culture of Abuse: Autism Care in France” details some issues (lack of access to education, use of psychoanalysis, packing) and some human rights violations observed in Autism in France. It also explores some piece of evidence supporting these facts. “Many of [...]

Share Jan 1st 2012 The year of National Attention to Autism, organized by the French Government starts with a TV report on TF1, the main French TV Channel. The TV reports depicts the story of a family who pushed to school to accept their child with autism 2h30 per week ! In French: http://www.soutenonslemur.org/2012/01/01/tf1-journal-tlvis-de-20h-autisme-grande-cause-nationale/ The “Collectif Soutenons Le Mur” publishes its wishes: to end the use of psychoanalysis in Autism in France and to ban invasive care sur as packing. [...]

ShareThis document, is a faithful transcription, translated into English of most of the questions and answers on the very famous France live talk show “The Phone Rings” (“Telephone Sonne”) on French National Public Radio France Inter on January 4th 2012. Our sister organization “Collectif Soutenons Le Mur” launched an action the day before to call the station and to help increase the awareness on the difficulties of Autism in France.   Important Contextual Notes – David Heurtevent In France, the [...]

ShareBy David Heurtevent, MA Georgetown, Asperger, david@supportthewall.org France is a very odd country in the world of Autism. Autism is viewed by many mainstream child psychiatrists as a psychosis, not as a Pervasive Developmental Disorder. The “frigid mother” theory of Bruno Bettleheim still is mainstream. Therapeutic laissez-faire is the norm. Many children are “packed” in wet clothes as cold as 50°F (10°C) several times a day. In France, Autism is viewed as a psychosis, not as a PDD In France, [...]

ShareThis article is the translation of a nursing course in psychiatry presenting the theory of autism as it is taught in France. Any foreign reader will understand how backwards it is compared to international standards. The original version in French is available here as of Jan 2nd 2011. Autism Excessive withdrawal within oneself, being locked inside a relational shell of which the main effect is to protect the autistic person from external contacts. The autistic subject will therefore put the [...]

ShareTranslation of an article published in the French Newspaper “France Soir” on November 15th 2011. The Despair of Parents of Autistic Children by Matthew and Alexandra Gonzalez Delacharlery, France Soir Translation: David Heurtevent A mother strangled her 7 year-old autistic daughter to death, before committing suicide. Over 600,000 people live with autism in France, including 180,000 children. Last Saturday, just after 7PM, a father living in a labor-class neighborhood of Martigues (Bouches-du-Rhone), has left his home to get some groceries. [...]