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Four Corners: “The team is sorry to learn that the program caused distress”

An ABC report on violent crime and the mentally ill has come under fire.

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A Four Corners episode on violent crime and the mentally ill has come under fire.

The report last week investigated how the mental health system is failing to protect the community and the patients themselves. It heard from and their experiences with the mental health system, a Tasmanian lawyer and NSW psychiatrist.

But the Victorian Mental Illness Awareness Council has expressed concern the episode described people with mental health issues as malingerers, violent, and a danger to the community. it claimed the ABC failed to interview a single consumer, consumer advocate or consumer peak body. Throughout the report there was prominent use of discriminatory and stigmatizing language, as well as calls for forced treatment that is in breach of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with a Disability.

“At best, this is a lack of oversight and due-diligence. At worst, it is another example of consumers being marginalized and silenced when our voice matters most,” said VMIAC CEO, Tricia Szirom.

VMIAC says if consumers and consumer groups were interviewed, it would have highlighted that people diagnosed with mental health issues are much more likely to be victims of violence. It claims people who watched the report were extremely distressed being portrayed in this way.

“I was deeply disturbed by last night’s report. Our members tell every day about the abuse they experience by the system. Forced treatment, seclusion and restraint. In failing to account for consumers in their story, the media has once again demonized us and erased our concerns,” Szirom continued.

“If the ABC plans to report on mental health in the future, it must hear from critical consumer voices, and not just the mental health industry.”

In a lengthy statement, ABC said the purpose of the story was to highlight failings and inadequate resourcing in the mental health system, in the hope of helping to contribute to improve outcomes for people with experience of mental illness.

“We believe the Four Corners team showed enormous care, sensitivity, respect and compassion in its reporting on this story,” ABC said in a statement.

“The team is sorry to learn that the program caused distress to some people with lived experience of mental illness. That was certainly not our intention, and we are all disappointed and concerned to learn of this.”

It maintained the majority of mentally ill people being discussed are either unable, for legal reasons, or unwilling to participate or be identified on a television program.

“In planning the program, careful thought was given to the risk of discussion of these issues adding to the stigma for the vast majority of people with severe mental illness who are never violent.

“But the risk to the public posed by the neglect of the severely mentally ill is an issue of public importance and seeking to inform and educate the public on this issue is appropriate and necessary.”

VMIAC is now imploring ABC to develop another episode about people living with mental and emotional distress.

5 Responses

  1. The report was focusing on the failures of the mental health services. I didn’t think it stigmatised mentally ill people but it was damning of the government for not providing adequate mental health care. I didn’t come away thinking all mentally ill people are violent but there are people who need more help and the fact that such help only occurs if they commit a violent act well that is something that needs to be discussed.

  2. I watched the report when it aired and I felt nothing but compassion for everyone involved, including the people suffering mental health issues. They were careful to cover stories where trauma and losses could have been avoided with better oversight or intervention. I respect the statement by the council, especially in regards to the forced treatment and restraint of patients. However, the focus of the report was how all of these individuals were actively seeking treatment but were turned away due to lack of available resources.

  4. When it comes to reporting on mental health issues, I think all sides should be reported in a balanced way. There are victims on both sides. While there are shortcomings in the mental health care system and that persons diagnosed as mentally ill have been victims of violence, there are people who have been victims of violence or harm from people diagnosed as mentally ill, such as violence or aggression towards health staff or fellow patients, as well as narcissistic abuses, for example. Awareness of the issues are important as they can affect anyone and shouldn’t be sweeped under the rug.

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