For the fifth time, France has just been singled out by the Council of Europe for failing to fulfill its obligations with regard to autistic people. Because faced with this disease which affects one in 100 children at birth, that is to say approximately 650,000 people in France, our country is years behind compared to its European neighbours. However, France had agreed to sign, 15 years ago, the European Social Charter which guarantees the schooling of autistic children. But it is precisely the violation of this charter that the Council of Europe accuses our country of, emphasizing that we have not respected the right of autistic people to receive an education.
“In Europe, almost all countries have caught up and closed their old structures. Here, we continue to send children to psychoanalysts who will explain that it comes from the relationship with the mother”, deplores the president of the Vaincre l’autisme association, while between 90 and 100% of autistic children go to school in Italy, Spain, Sweden or England…
A new telephone platform: SOS autismophobia
Faced with this observation, the parents of the SOS Autisme association decided to launch an awareness campaign to fight against prejudice and discrimination against people with autism. A telephone platform, SOS autismophobia (0820 71 00 54) will be set up to help families who have difficulty managing daily life and are tired of seeing the doors close. In addition, families who believe they have been discriminated against will be able to contact the association and “with our team of lawyers, we will initiate criminal proceedings in order to assert the rights of the discriminated autistic person” explains Olivia Cattan, president of the association Paroles of women and mother of an autistic child who launched this campaign against autismophobia.
To talk about this campaign and raise public awareness, the association has enlisted “people” such as Marc Lavoine, Jean Dujardin or Carla Bruni, who will sponsor an autistic child.
