Angeline and Dora
Content Warning: These stories are about violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation and may include references to suicide or self-harming behaviours. They may contain graphic descriptions and strong language and may be distressing. Some narratives may be about First Nations people who have passed away. If you need support, please see Contact & support.
Dora is in her 40s and autistic. Her teenage daughter Angeline is also autistic and has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), depression and anxiety.
‘While she was really young, we had huge behavioural issues with her,’ Dora told the Royal Commission. ‘[But] we didn't know she had a mental disability until [she became] violent at school.’
Dora said Angeline is becoming more aggressive, but struggles to get help in her regional town.
‘If we were in [the city] they'd be able to send more qualified staff in to help us. We've been through about 21 carers in two and a half years, and five or six of those carers quit after their first day.’
Dora said Angeline appears to have an undiagnosed personality disorder and wants her admitted to hospital for an assessment.
‘I see this switch go on and off in her and she just gets this look on her face … because then all of a sudden she'll switch and she'll be crying and apologising and then just start all over again.’
Dora said when the local hospital refused to review Angeline’s medication a couple of years ago, she took her to a city hospital.
‘Unfortunately she punched a nurse there and ended up in jail.’
The hospital discharged Angeline into police custody without a mental health assessment.
‘They pulled her hair the whole time dragging her from one cell to the other. They left her in a padded cell for over an hour with handcuffs on and she was crying out for her dad. She was banging her head against the wall.’
Dora said police held Angeline overnight because she refused to sign a bail form.
‘Why should a young child with a disability be expected to sign a bail form that … she's not understanding?’
After she returned home, police arrested Angeline for breaking into someone’s house.
‘I was begging for an admission just into the local hospital just so she wouldn't end up in jail.’
Recently, Angeline tried to cut Dora’s throat.
‘I saw her out the corner of my eye and I've turned around at the last second,’ Dora told the Royal Commission. ‘I didn't go into hospital. I thought I needed to, but I didn't. [The wound] pretty much closed up overnight. I didn't go into hospital because I was scared she would get arrested.’
Dora said although the attack was unprovoked, Angeline’s psychiatrist refused to admit her to hospital for an assessment.
‘And I said, “Surely this is the actions of a psychotic person.” And [he said], “No.” I said, “Does she have to kill me before you can give her a hospital admission?” I literally said that to him in a meeting. But there's just no response at all. He just won't budge.’
Dora has an appointment to see a new psychiatrist but ‘it's a three-month waiting list’.
She says there is a program in the city that could help Angeline control her behaviour, but the NDIS won’t fund it.
‘They're saying, “This is mental health”, so they're trying to handball it back to the mental health. The mental health team was saying, “No, this is behavioural.” … So I feel like there's a big issue between disability as national and the mental health services are state-run. And I don't even know what to say about that.’
Disclaimer: This is the story of a person who shared their personal experience with the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability through a submission or private session. The names in this story are pseudonyms. The person who shared this experience was not a witness and their account is not evidence. They did not take an oath or affirmation before providing the story. Nothing in this story constitutes a finding of the Royal Commission. Any views expressed are those of the person who shared their experience, not of the Royal Commission.