Uploaded March 2018 | Updated September 2026, 2 weeks ago
Despite being declared a form of torture (1), electric shock to modify behavior is used on people with autism, intellectual disabilities, and emotional/ behavioral disorders.
The Judge Rotenberg Center in Canton, Massachusetts is, "a special needs school" that has been using skin-shock therapy in order to curb what they call "destructive behaviors." They employ a remotely controlled device that delivers a painful shock whenever an undesirable behavior is detected. Many of those treated for non-compliant behavior are people of color.
The Food and Drug Agency (FDA) has proposed a ban on this device, (2) but the ban has yet to be implemented. Activist have encamped in front of the home of FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb, they pledge to keep the pressure on until he signs the ban. For more information follow the work of ADAPT adapt.org
Adapt Twitter feed -
twitter.com/NationalADAPT
(1) Autism Shock Therapy Practiced In US Is Torture, Says UN Official, by Emily Willingham in Forbes forbes.com/sites/emilywillingham/2013/03/08/autism-shock-therapy-is-torture-says-un-official/#222b12a828bc
(2) Banned Devices; Proposal To Ban Electrical Stimulation Devices Used To Treat Self-Injurious or Aggressive Behavior; Extension of Comment Period federalregister.gov/documents/2016/05/23/2016-12026/banned-devices-proposal-to-ban-electrical-stimulation-devices-used-to-treat-self-injurious-or
federalregister.gov/documents/2016/04/25/2016-09433/banned-devices-proposal-to-ban-electrical-stimulation-devices-used-to-treat-self-injurious-or
Despite being declared a form of torture (1), electric shock to modify behavior is used on people with autism, intellectual disabilities, and emotional/ behavioral disorders.
The Judge Rotenberg Center in Canton, Massachusetts is, "a special needs school" that has been using skin-shock therapy in order to curb what they call "destructive behaviors." They employ a remotely controlled device that delivers a painful shock whenever an undesirable behavior is detected. Many of those treated for non-compliant behavior are people of color.
The Food and Drug Agency (FDA) has proposed a ban on this device, (2) but the ban has yet to be implemented. Activist have encamped in front of the home of FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb, they pledge to keep the pressure on until he signs the ban. For more information follow the work of ADAPT adapt.org
Adapt Twitter feed -
twitter.com/NationalADAPT
(1) Autism Shock Therapy Practiced In US Is Torture, Says UN Official, by Emily Willingham in Forbes forbes.com/sites/emilywillingham/2013/03/08/autism-shock-therapy-is-torture-says-un-official/#222b12a828bc
(2) Banned Devices; Proposal To Ban Electrical Stimulation Devices Used To Treat Self-Injurious or Aggressive Behavior; Extension of Comment Period federalregister.gov/documents/2016/05/23/2016-12026/banned-devices-proposal-to-ban-electrical-stimulation-devices-used-to-treat-self-injurious-or
federalregister.gov/documents/2016/04/25/2016-09433/banned-devices-proposal-to-ban-electrical-stimulation-devices-used-to-treat-self-injurious-or
