I have no idea of the research in this, if any. But in reading the BBC
Ouch discussion board, I gather that in the UK most media coverage of
disabled people focuses either on the so-called "super crip" image or
on the "dead beat" image, i.e. people who are actually just faking it
to get government assistance. Furthermore, I gather (and I'm not
actually in the UK, I just read discussions from people who are) that
there are apparently public spot commercials encouraging ordinary
members of the public to report to a hotline if they think a neighbor
is faking their disability in order to receive assistance. This can
create a lot of stress for people who have widely varying,
unpredictable impairments because they feel like they have to pretend
to have a limp or something even if it is actually on a good day for
them, or make a point of showing it in their face expression when they
experience pain instead of covering it up as would be their usual
instinct. So in the UK, it sounds kind of like the whole country is
asked to be your "Big Brother" watcher if you're disabled. Since I
know there are so many people from the UK on this list, I hope they can
serve further enlightenment. But I wonder if that shouldn't be looked
at also--not just surveillance from the state but actively encouraged
surveillance from one's own neighbors doesn't sound that much more
pleasant to live under.
The BBC Ouch discussion board is at
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/mbouch/F2322273
BBC Ouch doesn't have a good search facility. But if you use the
advanced search feature at google.com and plug in the URL for BBC Ouch
then that serves well enough.
Andrea
[log in to unmask]
On May 6, 2009, at 8:32 AM, Vanmala H wrote:
> Hi,
>
> I was wondering if anyone has any information on surveillance of
> people with disabilities, particularly welfare recipients in US,
> Canada, UK or European countries. A colleague in Canada, who is a
> counselor and social work educator and practitioner, had mentioned
> that people with disabilities in Nova Scotia, Canada, who are on
> social assistance are watched daily by case workers (aka the state?)
> by using powerful video cameras trained at their open windows,
> curtains, backyards etc to watch their daily activities. This is to
> ensure that the disabled person is not living, say with a partner, or
> earning an income, etc.
>
> Has this issue been explored? I have been quite appalled by this -- I
> am aware such human rights violations are being perpetrated,
> particularly post 9/11, on non-white peoples, immigrants, activists,
> foreigners and those viewed as the 'Other', but I wasn't aware that
> people with disabilities in "developed" countries are also subject to
> such surveillance and 24/7 monitoring.
>
> I wonder if this is the situation all over Canada --- is this so in
> US, UK, Europe as well? Any leads?
>
> Thanks in advance,
>
> Vanmala Hiranandani
>
>
>
>
>
> ________________End of message________________
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