Karel

Karel remembers being a quiet kid in primary school and struggling to speak to other people. He experienced bullying and isolation. ‘I never quite understood why. Perhaps it’s just because I was susceptible or easy to pick on,’ Karel told the Royal Commission.

He was diagnosed as being on the autism spectrum. ‘I wouldn’t understand what this entailed for a while though.’

Eventually Karel made some friends but continued to experience bullying and name-calling.

Around this time Karel’s home life became very difficult. His parents divorced and he lived with his mother.

‘I struggled to learn things as effectively as most other kids, but instead of receiving help from my mum I just got neglected, in fact she denied and influenced me to deny that I have a disability.’

Karel’s grew up anxious, convinced his struggles to learn where his fault.

Karel’s mother also had emotional outbursts, yelling at him, telling him he was ungrateful, couldn’t do anything and wishing she didn’t have children.

‘My mother although abusive isn't a bad person, she is someone who has been suffering from mental health disorders of her own so I do find forgiveness despite what happened.’

Karel said he failed to learn many life skills, including the most basic hygienic practices such as showering, washing hands and eating.

Karel’s teachers didn’t help him. He hinted to one teacher he was ‘in a dark state of mind’ and said ‘I hate my life’. ‘Rather than having concern or support expressed, I instead got told to shut up and basically treated as an attention seeker,’ he said.

Karel told another teacher ‘I wish I was dead’. The teacher brushed it off and said ‘oh well that’s no good’. He understands primary school teachers might not know how to deal with a suicidal student, but says ‘I just expected more. Particularly from someone trained in support’.

By the end of primary school Karel was feeling so down and dreadful that he googled depression and came across the term psychological abuse. This was when he realised he ‘may be getting abused’.

‘Eventually my dad would get the hints, and gradually got to work with transferring custody from my mum to him, where I continue to live with my dad.’

High school has been so much better for Karel. His friends have continued to care and provide support.

‘I've found the teachers to be lovely people and learning support to be genuinely caring and helpful. Whenever I've had the occasional suicidal or self‐doubting thoughts, they've offered assistance with walking me to the school counsellor or being chilled back.’

Karel’s father has also helped by providing a better home environment.

‘For people of disability my age, it's very important to have both a home AND academic environment that is supportive and cares. Unfortunately some schools don't have a support unit, and I think it's important that it becomes more accessible.’

Karel sometimes has problems accessing psychological and psychiatric support because of long waiting lists and high costs.

‘I hope that as a nation, we'll strive for improving accessibility to the care people need, and that we will continue to improve the environments, school and at home, that students and children such as myself live in.’