[Press Release sent out 2/28/24]
The Autistic Self Advocacy Network will lead disability organizations and advocates across the country in the thirteenth annual Disability Day of Mourning this Friday. Below is ASAN’s message about the vigils being held in memory of disabled lives lost to murder by family and caregivers.
ASAN’s Message:
In the past five years, over 570 people with disabilities have been murdered by their parents, relatives or caregivers.
On Friday, March 1st, the disability community will gather across the nation to remember these disabled victims of filicide – disabled people murdered by their family members or caregivers.
In the year since our last vigil, our community has lost over 50 more people to filicide. These are just the cases that we are aware of – since we began monitoring this issue, we learn about more murders every week. We read the victims’ names, see their photographs, and gather what information we can about their lives. The criminal justice system has continued to give lighter sentences to parents and caregivers who murder disabled children. And we have seen the news media continue to portray these murders in a sympathetic light. We hold the Day of Mourning vigils to draw attention to these injustices, to commemorate the lives of victims, and demand justice and equal protection under the law for all people with disabilities.
Since 2012, ASAN and other disability rights organizations have come together to send a clear message that disability is not a justification for violence. To learn more or sign up to lead a vigil, view the Anti-Filicide toolkit.
We will be hosting our Virtual Vigil on Friday, March 1st – and we hope to see you there if you cannot find or attend a vigil in your area.
COVID-19
Some Day of Mourning vigils are virtual, while others are in-person. We recommend that each person consider the potential risks, and make sure to wear a mask and social distance if you attend an in-person vigil. If you are concerned about attending a vigil in-person, please consider attending ours or another virtual vigil in your area.
All vigils [listed HERE] are virtual unless otherwise noted.
