Shackling

Around the world, hundreds of thousands of people with psychosocial disabilities (mental health conditions) have been shackled—chained or locked in confined spaces—at least once in their lives. Many are held in sheds, cages, or animal shelters and are forced to eat, sleep, urinate, and defecate in the same area. Men, women, and children as young as 10, are shackled in over 60 countries. People with psychosocial disabilities can be shackled for weeks, months, or years due to stigma and inadequate support and mental health services. They can be shackled in homes or locked in overcrowded state-run or private institutions, as well as traditional or religious healing centers where they are forced to fast, face physical and sexual abuse, and receive involuntary treatment.