Anti-psychiatry activist Don Weitz begins a series of four public lectures this Friday at the University of Toronto’s Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE).

On Friday, Weitz, an insulin shock survivor and co-founder of the Coordinating Committee of the Coalition Against Psychiatric Assault, will critique what he calls psychiatry’s human rights violations and the major reasons why he believes psychiatry should be abolished.

For over 30 years, Weitz has been active in the psychiatric survivor/human rights movement and a vocal opponent of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). He is also the recipient of several awards for his advocacy and social justice activism.

The other three lectures will deal with the struggle to ban ECT, psychiatric drugs prescribed without informed consent and alternatives to psychiatry and the mental-health system.

All lectures start at 7 p.m. and are held at OISE, 252 Bloor Street West near St. George subway station.

The lecture series is sponsored by the Alumni for a Free U of T, an organization dedicated to bringing free education to members of the University and surrounding community.

The other lectures will be held on October 28, November 25 and December 9.

John Bonnar

John Bonnar is an independent journalist producing print, photo, video and audio stories about social justice issues in and around Toronto.