Embarrassment during section 136 *can be triggering*
 

About four weeks ago I was sectioned on a 136 (I am on a section 2 now, having Christmas leave though). I was taken in a police van to the section 136 suite etc etc but when the police brought me into the seclusion room there, they started removing things off me. Headband, shoes, belt, ok, but then they said I had to take my bra off! I was freaking out completely because of the Voices and paranoia. Then suddenly a policewoman unhooked my bra underneath my t-shirt. She took it off, and I wouldn't have minded so much if there weren't male police officers there. I felt humiliated having my bra removed in front of male police officers, even if it was all done under my t-shirt. And all that time a male police officer was restraining me
Do you think this was right?

Because they were even suggesting to take my trousers off me because of the cord! Luckily I got to keep them otherwise I'd have been half naked

I kept yelling to them that I felt humiliated but they ignored me

Obviously there were trying to keep you safe, but I understand how embarassed you must have felt. I had to have some tests done in hospital and had to remove my bra and t-shirt and it was a man doing it and I've never felt so embarassed so I can totally understand!

Baggyleans, thank you. They said they were removing my bra because it had a wire in it. Too embarrassing

I think they have certain protocols they are forced to follow when it comes to dealing with people who may pose a risk to themselves. That said however it is unacceptable that male officers were in the room at the time, personally I'd write a complaint to the IPCC (Independent Police Complaints Commission) about your treatment by the officers and how you felt humiliated. You never know, something may come of it a change in guidelines perhaps forbidding male officers from being present in future.

Thanks Rhuben, that's a good idea. I will talk to my friend about it. My friend is writing a letter to his MP about treatment of s136 patients, using me as an anonymous friend

There were several extremely embarrassing things that happened when I was psychotic in hospital, and the way I dealt with it afterwards when I was well again and remembered what had happened was to think that the nurses weren't embarrassed and were far more concerned with my care, and that (hopefully) I will never see any of them ever again!

The same things apply to this situation. Try and hold on to those facts.

Take care.

Mikey, you have a good point there. I guess I should think that the police officers only wanted to make sure that I would be safe. I think they were professional enough not to "laugh" at me

Although when I was being restrained on the floor by four police officers, the policewoman on my left arm told me to stop being an idiot when I was hallucinating that my body was on fire!

Thanks for the hugs btw

That's reminded me of when I was also in hospital and was freaking out a bit and the nurses ran me a bath. They left before I got in it but then one of them came in again to get something and I was so embarassed but they are so used to it that it probably didn't occur to me that I would be embarassed. I think it would have been the same with the police officers but I can still understand why you might want to complain about it!

Thanks Baggyjeans. I'm sorry you had to go through that. It's just that I've been sexually abused before (as a child), so the presence of male police officers while having my bra removed gave me flashbacks and made me freak out even more. Two police officers had to hold me while they were doing that.

Baggyjeans, I think you're right about the nurses, they're used to seeing skin let's just say

I hate men for that reason too, so I understand. Big hugs!

Thanks, hugs back

Must of been awful. ):
I would of been embarrassed as well.
Hope you're okay now, hun. x

Thanks Katie. It was deeply humiliating. I'm struggling tbh

Thanks for the hugs

I'm sorry to hear that, Oly. I think that people are right in saying it was for your own safety and protection, but also that the police need more training in how to deal with people brought in on 136s, and more training on mental illness.

Thank you. I agree, they need more training indeed, especially the policewoman who told me off for being an idiot

I think the policewoman saying stop being an idiot is actually the problem. I do understand how humiliating it is to have clothing such as a bra removed in front of male police but they used a woman to remove it and sadly in 136 suits there is limited staff and female officers holding you may not have been enough to do the job, and doing their job in keeping you safe is the priority above all else.

I have had instances where male nurses have entered my bathroom in an emergency and that's just them trying to keep me safe as quickly as possible, I understand that now, but at the time it was absolutely horrible. A female nurse was already there, but she needed help.

*cuddles*

Sorry you had to experience that Oly. I can relate, I was abused by men as a child and adolescent so I can most definitely relate to the intrusive nature of being held involuntarily and the presense of men in those situations.

Miss anonymous is right though, the staff numbers would be an issue, and that the concerning part was the idiot comment, that should be reported.
Hope you are ok

Miss Anonymous, you're right, staffing is an issue. There was one policewoman there which I guess made it a bit less traumatic. If it was a man undoing my bra I would have had an even more catastrophic reaction

Bleeding Black, thank you. I am sorry to hear that you got abused

I remember saying "why the hell are you all holding me down on the floor like this?!" to them. A policeman said something about it being for my own safety etc, but then the policewoman interjected and said "because you're being an idiot". I don't know if later on she was told off or not for saying that because the policeman on my right arm was pretty kind and understanding

I understand and have been having memories recently of being strip-searched by the police. For me it was most scary when they put the latex gloves on because I didn't know what they were going to do. Luckily I only had women at the time. Like people said, it's just so they can keep you safe.

Hugs Laura. That sounds terrible. I just got the metal detector treatment instead of going naked, so I guess I was lucky there. I'm sorry that I triggered you

Sorry to hear, Oly. That must've been terrifying. But in certain situations like that, I'm afraid male police are allowed to be present if it's detrimental to your safety or others. I personally don't think it makes a difference if a male plod or a female plod is there (equally as horrible), but I can understand why some girls/women feel more dignified if it's a member of the same sex. Preferably, this is the case. It's also preferable that same-sex police also search you in general, but sometimes the coppers don't have a choice. I was stop searched by two male police officers a few nights ago who made me put my hands on the van whilst he checked my pockets and patted my legs/thighs/crotch down. Tbh, it'd been no better or worse if a female copper did it, though.

Anyway, I was stripped right down to my knickers when I was detained on a s.136 in the summer. I was embarrassed as f*ck, having three fully kitted out policewomen count my self-inflicted cuts and go through my clothes in these big gloves, like as if I was some diseased criminal. Gladly, the embarrassment only lasted 3 minutes at the most. Just gritted my teeth and closed my eyes to get through it. Resisting would've made it a lot worse.

Sorry for the rude comment, though. Not all police officers are like this, but unfortunately there are a few idiots in the force. But sometimes, they don't mean to be offensive, they can just come across as a little insensitive, for example I've been told I'm 'weird' and 'not normal' by police who tried to pass it off in a jokey way. They have little training when it comes to mental health, they just don't always understand, although some make better efforts than others.

Wish you a Merry Christmas and I hope that the rest of your hospital stay goes as swift and easily as possible.

That's pretty sick. My friend had her chest searched, so i guess you got off lightly.

Sorry to hear about your experience Steel Maiden. There's quite a few videos online showing policemen going alot further than that, and legal or not, they should realise that it's plain wrong.

Stanpy, that is really sick, what they did to you. I am so sorry you had to go through that.

Tomyrsayael, what happened exactly in the videos?

I'm sort of "getting over" the experience now but I know I'll never forget it

I agree that police haven't got enough training in mental health. We should campaign

I was 136'd by 2 male officers not that long ago, and there were no females available, so it was them that searched me and took certain clothing items off me. Then when I got to 136 suite I was restrained by a male officer and stripped search at the same time by a female officer, so yeah...I think its really undignified and against human rights!! I was absolutly mortified.

Every other time I have had females 136 me, or if it was a male then they got a female to search me.

I'm sorry that you went through all of that. You should complain about the woman who called you an idiot. That was completely uncalled for and unprofessional.

I work in a medical facility as a housekeeper, and trust me, you get very used to seeing skin on patients. You unfortunately become so used to it that you don't even realize that you may be embarrassing the patient. The police officers and nurses were just doing their job. They have seen it all before. Reading your thread has made me more aware of how the patients may be feeling. When I go to work tomorrow I will be more cautious when entering a room in which a patient may be changing/using a bathroom.

I'm glad that you are finding the strength to get over this experience a little bit. Take care xx

Sammi, that's sick of them to strip-search you like that! Luckily on both of my s136s I've never been strip-searched

Haleigh, you're right, I should, but unfortunately I can't remember her name or even the colour of her hair. I understand your point of view though

Are police allowed to use pain as a method of restraint on people under a s136? Because the male officer on my right arm kept twisting it really far so that it hurt every time I got distressed

Have you got a card with you that you can give to them? It could outline specific triggers, how they can help and anyone to contact when you are distressed?

so sorry to hear of your exspierences
and everyone eles i am shocked and horrified ive had a few bad exspierences ......................i agree the forces professionals i think they ll neeed more training on the mental health side , and need to be taught about the issues and how sitation lke beeing sectioned and beeing searched can leave that person feeling
i feel that they treat people with mh or issues more like their criminals than having a mh problem
sp p*ssed sorry about my langauage but the sstem sucks special when dealing with mh im just so p*ssed of people were trated that way i hope you are all ok and move o from these embarssing situations you were forced into hugs

Startingagain, that's a good idea. I should make one as I'm on the autism spectrum and I find it hard to communicate verbally when I'm stressed

Hopeislost, you're right, the police need more training!

Making a card sounds like it would be a good plan. The police have had contact with me when I wasn't coping very well before and they actually asked me if I had anything like that, so some police certainly do find it useful.

It also allows them to understand your situation a bit more and to make adjustments, whether that's to stay a little bit further away from you if you don't like people being too close, or if it's reassuring you or contacting someone or something.

I hope you're doing ok atm. x

Hi-The police here actually worked with the local NAS to create a card, so hope it helps x

My partner had a card on her [made by the hospital nurses] for when she was manic or psychotic, it stated all her mania symptoms on one side and all the depressive symptoms on the other and had contact details for her CAMHS team and GP etc.

It was designed for when people found her wandering the streets at night in odd places.

Maybe you can have some help from the hospital to make one?

These cards sound like a really good idea!

http://www.medids.com/free-id.php
Here is a free template for one that might help.

Sounds good guys, I think that's a good idea. Just convincing my team, Dad and friend that it is a good idea will be a challenge....
Startingagain, ty for the link

Thought this might be of interest to the women here who've suffered this kind of abuse.

http://www.homeoffice.gov.uk/publica...-c?view=Binary

Page 67,

Not that it would matter if it was legal of course, it would still be wrong, and the abusers should suffer horrible repercussions.

:hhuhug: sorry you went through that . what a horrible experience .