By Emily Yisa, Disability Services Project Coordinator and Educator
Every year on March 1, the disability community comes together to remember people with disabilities who were murdered by their caregivers and families, often their parents. On this Disability Day of Mourning, on-line vigils will be held all over the world.
In the last five years, the Autistic Self Advocacy Network has researched the deaths of more than 650 people with disabilities who have been murdered by their parents, other relatives, or caregivers. Often the murders are justified because caring for someone with a disability is considered a burden. Parents and family members are frequently sentenced to very little or no time for these murders. “The victims are disregarded, blamed for their own murder at the hands of the person they should have been able to trust the most, and ultimately forgotten,” notes the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (2022).
What can we do to recognize the day and remember those with disabilities who have been murdered?
- Read more about the day and also check out an index of victims.
What can we do to prevent this level of violence in the disability community?
- Check out these tips from the Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN)
Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN). (2022, January). 2022 Anti-Filicide Toolkit. https://autisticadvocacy.org/projects/community/mourning/anti-filicide/
