Unconscious Social Punishment Toward Disable People

Parzhin

The story that I tell today is thestory of a thirty nine year old woman with the mind of a three year old child.  In her early childhood, she fell down while her cousin was holding her. From that time she has suffered from an illness which allows the body to grow while the mind does not.

Her name is Nazdar. Shortly after the onset of her illness, Nazdar's father died. One of her brothers disappeared without reason. Nazdar lived with her other brother and her mother, but after nine years, her mother died from a dangerous disease.

Nazdar's problems truly began at this time, as her body continued to grow while her mind did not. She stayed with her brother, but eventually her brother decided to marry, figuring that having a wife would be a help for his disabled sister. After the marriage, Nazdar's life became a living hell as her brother mistreated her and her sister in law refused to care for a disabled person.

Everyday her sister in law treated her like a servant, made accusations against her and both she and her brother treated Nazdar violently, including handcuffing her and keeping her locked in the bathroom for hours and beating her.

She is afraid for what they have done to her, and that is why she works hard and spends time with her nieces, taking care of them, hoping to make her brother and sister in law happy.

While her family expects her to act like an adult, she does not know how to do so. She wants a doll to play with; she needs a mothers love and caring because in her mind she is a 3 year old.  She only knows how to say and repeat one sentence,  "Take me to my parents."

Perhaps death is best for Nazdar. That is what she wishes for.

There are similar stories like Nazdars' in our society.  Even in our family there is not any respect for disabled people. Maybe the word "disabled" is not right as many of these people have more ability than many of us.

Unfortunately, in our society is very common to treat people this way. But every one of us has to think, if we were them, how would we like to be treated.  Do we want to be treated like "vulnerable people?"