Is humanity the cruelest animal on the planet ? I think we must be. I don’t think any other animal, with perhaps the exception of the chimpanzee, takes pleasure in their peers distress.
After watching Panorama’s Undercover Care: The Abuse Exposed on BBC1 last night, I was left with nothing but a feeling of total disgust. Specifically for the individuals that were caught on film abusing the patients at this establishment but also for the human race.
No other animal on earth resorts to systematic bullying and abuse in the way that mankind does. Certainly what has occurred in Winterbourne View is extreme bullying and abuse and in some instance could be construed as torture. During the program a parallel was drawn between the treatment meted out at Winterbourne View and that which was commonly practiced in asylums during the 60’s.
These patients and their families have been totally let down by the individuals responsible for patient care, let down by the management of Winterbourne View and let down by the Care Quality Commission who were contacted more than once by a former senior nurse.
Although there are four employees in custody, my view is that there are more employees that are culpable and should be punished for their inaction which pretty much construes their tacit approval of the actions of the others.
It’s at time like this that I wished our judiciary were able to use “an eye for an eye” as the basis for sentencing. Then perhaps the perpetrators could get a taste of their own medicine. The ritualistic eye poking, the face slapping, the fully clothed cold showers and being detained outside in wet clothes in temperatures slightly above freezing or being pinned to the floor under a chair while your “carer” sits on the chair with a foot on your hand.
It beggars belief.
WrAnTz 