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Press Release
Issued on: Friday 11 February 2000
Issued by: NSF(S) and Scottish Users Network (SUN)

�Research into harassment of people with mental illness

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NSF (Scotland) and the Scottish Users Network (SUN) have been awarded a grant of �127,222 by the National Lottery Charities� Board. The project funded is to research the extent and nature of harassment of mental health service users around Scotland, and is being undertaken in partnership with the Nuffield Centre for Community Care Studies at the University of Glasgow.�

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It is common to read reports about the risk of violence posed to the public by people with mental illness.� Such reporting commonly leads to a perception, not backed up by factual evidence, that all people with a mental illness are violent.� This in turn perpetuates the myths and stigma attached to individuals with a mental health problem, and in particular those with schizophrenia.

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One effect of this stigma is all too frequently made known to those working in the mental

health field. Such agencies hear different kinds of reports from service users themselves: about the harassment, and sometimes violence, perpetrated by members of the public against people with serious mental health problems. This can have far reaching effects on their lives:

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�� Because I was open within my community about having a mental illness, I had to move house. I was shouted at in the street and had dog dirt put through my letter box.�

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This research, which will be completed in late 2001, will allow us to find out for the first time how much harassment people with serious mental health problems are experiencing.

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ENDS

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For further information please contact:

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George Ronald�� Mary Weir�������������������� Professor Alison� Petch/Kathryn Berzins

Director������������ Chief Executive� ����������� Nuffield Centre for Community Care Studies�

SUN���������������� NSF(Scotland)�� ����������� 0141 330 5600 (Daytime-research enquiries only)

07718 908428��� 0131 557 8969��������������������

����������������������� 0131 337 1380 (Evenings)

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