ARW – Project France

ShareOn February 23 2012, the NGO Disability Rights International alleged torturous practice against children with Autism Spectrum Disorder in France. It viewed Packing, the wrapping of kids in wet frozen sheets, as torture. On March 13, 2012, the organization released a new statement in reaction to the guidance (best practice guide) of the French Higher Health Authority which declared it is “strongly opposed” to packing, while allowing it for research purposes (see The Connexion article). Disability Rights International, rightly, does [...]

ShareThe French daily newspaper Libération published on February 28, 2012 a letter of Magali Pignard, a mom of an autistic son and an active member of Collectif Soutenons Le Mur. This article published in the paper version of the newspaper explains why exhausted parents consider exile as a solution. The translation was first published on Magali’s blog. We copy it here for our readers: I am writing to you because I am extremely shocked by the bias you show on [...]

Shareby David Heurtevent, Asperger, MA Georgetown “Of all those who have nothing to say, the most likeable are those who stay quiet. ” Coluche   Listening to France Culture (a Public Radio) is painful. The smell of mothballs wafts across the airwaves from Saint-Germain-des-Prés with daily sessions of verbal masturbation financed by the taxpayer. But it’s not surprising that France Culture is the main media outlet for psychoanalysis as the pseudo-humanist, ethno-centric, verbal and financial mechanisms are the same. On 10 [...]

ShareDuring the week of January 16th to 22nd 2012, the campaign took a really international turn. International reactions January 17th, 2012 The autism community website, Wrongplanet, publishes a statement of David Heurtevent, co-founder of “Support the Wall: Autism”. The article goes somewhat viral. Within hours, it reaches 7000 views. In English: http://www.supportthewall.org/2012/01/interview-of-david-heurtevent-on-wrongplanet-autism-in-france-psychoanalysis-packing-and-other-travesties-why-it-matters/ January 19th, 2012 The global edition of the New York Times publishes a landmark article titled “A French Film Takes Issue With the Psychoanalytic Approach to Autism”. In [...]

ShareThis document is the translation of a manifesto published on Jan 12th 2012 by one of the organization opposed to changes in autism in France. This organization, named “Collectif of the 30 against security darkness” is organizing a demonstration in Paris on Saturday March 17, 2012 in Montreuil, near Paris. It should be noted that their petition against reforms in psychiatry is signed by prominent communists and left-wing intellectuals, politicians and some child psychiatrists. This group strongly support psychoanalysis and [...]

ShareUpdated: Jan 23, 2012 January 9th 2012 A new video surfaces on the russian website Rutube. This video made in 1998 by CNAM is used apparently for teaching purposes in France. It shows Bernard Golse, one of the psychiatrists interviewed in “The Wall” putting blame on the parents for the autism of a child. It goes contrary to what Bernard Golse declared previously regarding the fact the Sophie Robert would have manipulated his real opinions on the origins of autism. [...]

ShareThis article on packing was published originally in French on the “Soutenons Le Mur” website on January 11th 2012. Translation: Karen Wilshin This Q&A article attempts to explain the practice of “Packing”, the technique for wrapping children with autism in cold, wet sheets, why it’s a problem, what’s being done to stop it and what’s blocking progress. Written by Olivier Bousquet and David Heurtevent, it gives an introduction to the practice. For more detail, you can read the full article [...]

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 [...]