Court of Appeals of Turin. Complaint upheld: a Child cannot be taken away from his family by the use of force, violence and coercion
Turin. When a Child says “NO,” it means something. And, when he says it, he says it not only for himself but also for all the other Children in the world. When a Child says “NO,” one must listen to him. And find, among his words, the solution to the issue one should want to solve.
Vincenza Palmieri, Family Technical Consultant, Ambassador for Human Rights and member of the Citizens’ Committee for Human Rights International, describes how this is yet another story of a Child (we will call her Marielle) whom a platoon composed of child neuropsychiatrist, social workers, municipal employees and others (all the links of the Psychiatric Supply Chain) went to forcibly take several times from her home and family, without succeeding.
The Child had been referred to a “Protected Facility,” of a medical nature. Today, “Sanitary Facility” is the polite and official name for what are in effect CHILDREN’S PSYCHIATRIC ASYLUMS. That is, places where, in addition to restraint, there is also containment and heavy administration of psychotropic drugs, prescribed by Child Neuropsychiatrists (i.e., the Children’s Psychiatrists).
Asylums have been closed in Italy. But Asylums for Children have been opened and multiplied.
What happened in Marielle’s case?
The Family sought answers. They listened to their daughter’s “NO” and found a solution, an answer that matched the little girl’s needs.
Here, then, that last year, instead of going with their daughter to an appointment where they were supposed to hand her over to the Service Workers, they changed course and asked for help.
The Specialized Family Project, on this family nucleus, totally replaced the internment of the Child and gave dignity to the whole Family.
The first decree of the Child’s removal stated that her detention was to be done through the removal of Marielle by resorting to “Public Force.” In defiance of every Human Right.
But the team supporting the family was strong. To inspire them were the basic principles of Human Rights and to support them were the city Associations and Committees.
We like to emphasize the fact that it did not take a lot of special activities, for this Family: a few study strategies, a few tricks to be observed in communicating with classmates, using the most beautiful part of herself: her creative ability.
IT IS A SIMPLE STORY. YET IT IS A UNIVERSAL STORY BECAUSE, IN THE END, THE COURT OF APPEALS IN TURIN SANCTIONED THAT THE CHILD COULD FINALLY STAY AT HOME AND MOST IMPORTANTLY, UPHELD THE CLAIM THAT NEVER SHOULD A CHILD BE FORCIBLY TAKEN TO BE DRAGGED TO AN ASYLUM.
This Precedent-setting and Case Law-making Judgment, then, is not just about Marielle and her Family.
It concerns all the Children of Italy, for whom it will make Jurisprudence, but also all the Children of Europe and the world. Because it represents a humanitarian and just Model that is translated into practice and into Law.
From today, all children, all mothers, all fathers can plead and resort to a Justice that will protect them and affirm their fundamental, inalienable Human Rights.
And if in Italy it represents a formal guarantee-that of a legal precedent-in the rest of the World it represents a guarantee of substance: because it affirms and traces those same Universal Human Rights that are superordinate to any other national law.
Protecting Children and Youth means writing the future of All.
When a Child says “NO,” it is an answer and the best attack to the Psychiatric Supply Chain in the world.
“Cronaca Sociale” Press Office
