ABA therapy is a behaviour modification intervention. It is used particularly with autistic children who struggle with communication and self-regulation. ABA is touted as being “evidence-based”, even though evidence shows that most ABA survivors want it stopped. This article, written for a South African audience, includes perspectives of several non-speaking autistics on their ABA experiences.
CRPD
Take pride in your disabled family member’s advocacy
What do you do when your disabled family member starts telling the world he had a horrible childhood?
Nonspeaking autists on radio
Learn more about the nonspeakers who are sowing the seeds for Africa’s nonspeaking autistic revolution.
A call to ban ABA: Panel at the Global Disability Summit
Panel presentation: The Human Rights Case Against Harmful Behaviour Modification for Autistic People
African autistics brace for an onslaught of ableist abuse from PAABA
“This is heartbreaking,” wrote Kenyan autistic activist Karen Muriuki as PAABA officials began blocking autistic people from commenting on their standard of ethics during the launch of the organisation online. “Why silence autistic Africans who are advocating for disability and human rights? This a total violation of CRPD Articles 7, 15 and 16.”
Cognitive Dissonance in Autism Research—Extract from Mary Doherty’s critique
“The autistic community… must be involved at the highest levels… We cannot be kept busy with token consultations while the real decisions are made elsewhere.”
Disability organisation takes ICASA to court over captioning
Most people with hearing loss don’t understand Sign Language. Along with them, many autists also benefit from captioning. The NCPD is taking ICASA (South Africa’s broadcasting regulator) to the High Court over its failure to provide a fair Code on captioning.
Letter to academics on ABA
This letter followed a meeting between Tania Melnyczuk and academics who are developing an autism awareness programme. It provides an example of how ABA promotors violate the United Nations Convention on the Rights of People with Disabilities (CRPD) and mentions the international #BanABA movement.
Talking about autism: Rights-centred resources
Resources for a meeting with academics on autism awareness and training.
Addressing chemical restraint in Western Cape schools
Some schools in the Western Cape are allegedly coercing parents into drugging their disabled children.