Wed, Oct 03, 2001 page2

• Autism sufferers face cruel world

  INDIFFERENCE The mother of a 13-year-old boy who was beaten up by four youths his own age because he has autism is calling on the public to be more caring

  • By Ko Shu-ling / STAFF REPORTER
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  Hsiao-wei did not realize how complex and dangerous the real world was until he was recently attacked by a gang of four youths.

  On the outside, the 13-year-old looks no different from his peers. But inside, he is withdrawn, unresponsive to human contact and speech impaired.

  Hsiao-wei, who is autistic, is passionate about playing drums and has held 10 concerts. He also enjoys watching the traffic lights near the Chilian MRT station and along Chunghsiao E. Road.

  

  At a press conference yesterday morning, 13-year-old Hsiao-wei and his mother both expressed their hope for a more tolerant society.

  PHOTO: LEE HUNG-MING, TAIPEI TIMES

  Once or twice a week, his parents take him to those places as one of his weekly rituals.

  To teach Hsiao-wei to be independent, his parents have been encouraging him to go out alone. Six months ago, he finally did.

  However, he saw for the first time the cruelty of the real world during the Sept. 8 encounter with a gang of boys.

  According to Hsiao-wei's mother, who preferred to be identified as Mrs. Kuan, Hsiao-wei was on his way to a musical instrument store on Heng-yang Road at about 5pm that day.

  He is good with directions and familiar with the MRT.

  After getting off at the Taiwan University Hospital station, he was crossing the 228 Memorial Park, when he began to be chased by a gang of four youths.

  "He ran inside a nearby 7-Eleven convenience store just like we told him to do when he's in danger," Kuan said. "However the gang followed him and continued to beat him inside the store while the clerk looked on."

  After delivering a merciless beating, the gang took off, leaving Hsiao-wei moaning on the ground. He finally managed to get on his feet and take the MRT back to his home in Tienmou.

  "I was in complete shock when I saw the dirt and bruises on his back and legs the minute he walked in the house," said Kuan, bursting into tears. "The first thing he told me was: `I'm fine, please don't worry.'"

  In addition to reporting the case to the police, Kuan said she took her son back to the store in an attempt to get a better understanding of the incident from the manager of the store.

  When she saw the bloody footage of the attack caught on the store's surveillance camera, Kuan said she could not hold back her anger and disappointment with the indifference of people.

  "I'd like to see more love and enthusiasm in society," she said.

  Detailing the incident at a press conference held by the City Council yesterday morning, Kuan, a mother of three, said that now she is too scared to let her youngest son go out alone.

  "It's a world too cruel for him to handle," she said.

  DPP City Councilor Lo Tsung-sheng (羅宗勝) called on the city's Bureau of Education to offer emergency response training courses to convenience-store clerks.

  "Although the bureau meant well by encouraging convenience stores located close to schools to join the `affection circle,' it seems they [store clerks] don't have any idea about what to do when an emergency situation occurs," he said.

  "Affection circle" refers to those stores willing to serve as a temporary shelter for women, students or physically or mentally challenged at a time of need or danger.

  Currently, there are over 7,300 convenience stores within the circle, and nearly 800 of those are 7-Eleven stores.

  Kao Ming-ting (高明亭), a specialist of the Foundation for Autistic Children and Adults in Taiwan, said that autism sufferers should enjoy the same human rights as any other citizen.

  "We've been encouraging autism sufferers to go out and be independent. However, it's sad to see how they're treated in the real world," she said.

  "We'd like to see the public be more caring and patient toward them," Kao said.

  There are an estimated 20,000 autism sufferers in Taiwan.

  No one knows about patience better than Kuan.

  Take tying shoelaces for example. It has taken Kuan years to teach her son how to tie his own shoes.

  Kuan said that, although it was frustrating to teach Hsiao-wei things that most people take for granted, the joy is indescribable when he finally understands it.

  "We're not ashamed of him. On the contrary, we're very proud of him," she said. "Our life has become more interesting and fruitful because of him."
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