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Mental Disability, Trauma, and Human Rights

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Trauma and Human Rights

Abstract

Trauma is often a critical element in the emergence of mental disabilities, yet the human rights of persons labeled with psychiatric, psychosocial, intellectual, or developmental disabilities may be violated in ways that lead to even further traumatization. Many of these abuses occur in institutional settings around the world. This chapter describes the range of traumas experienced by persons labeled with mental disabilities, particularly in institutionalized settings; outlines the human rights issues of greatest concern—and at greatest risk of violation—in such settings; and discusses the need for trauma-sensitive approaches to identifying, addressing, and, ultimately, preventing these human rights violations through human rights monitoring, documentation, and advocacy.

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Correspondence to Éva Szeli .

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Szeli, É. (2019). Mental Disability, Trauma, and Human Rights. In: Butler, L.D., Critelli, F.M., Carello, J. (eds) Trauma and Human Rights. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-030-16395-2_9

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