Global issues & guidelines in the prevention of abuse in psychiatry

This presentation focuses on certain forms of abuses in these settings that may cross the threshold of acceptable standards of ethical medical treatment and cross over to what is globally defined as torture or cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment and punishment (CIDT). It examines a number of abusive practices commonly reported to be happening in psychiatric care settings and describes how the human rights framework applies in this context. This presentation will also attempt to elucidate this concerns both in the specific context of vulnerable populations of the mentally disabled or ill. It will also raise policy implications and recommendations for reflection.