The Sun newspaper's '1,200 killed by mental patients' headline labelled
'irresponsible and wrong'
The front page of the Sun newspaper has infuriated mental health campaigners with the front page headline “1,200 killed by mental patients”.
Although the full story stresses many of the "high risk patients" who committed murder over the last decade were let down by the system, charities and MPs accused the newspaper of stigmatising those who suffered from ill health.
Labour’s health team wrote on Twitter that the front page “disgracefully reinforced” stigma, while Rethink Mental Illness wrote "Dear @TheSunNewspaper the number of homicides by ppl w/mental health problems has gone *down*. Front page is irresponsible & wrong."
Sue Baker, director of mental health awareness charity Time to Change wrote “We are still picking up the pieces from terrible headlines 'mad psycho killers' mid to late 90s. Whatever the agenda this coverage harmful.”
Alistair Campbell tweeted: “Constant media linkage of violence and mental illness leads to violence against the mentally ill rather than by them. #stigma #timetochange.”
The Sun was also criticised for not giving enough space to figures that showed those suffering from mental illness are up to ten times more likely to be the victim of a crime than the average person.
Paul Burstow MP wrote: “Truth is people with mental health problems more likely to be victims of crime NOT perpetrators of crime."...........
No comments:
Post a Comment