Declaring March 1, 2018 as Disability Day of Mourning in the City of Philadelphia, to raise awareness of filicide that of disabled children and adults.

WHEREAS, Filicide is broadly defined by a “parent murdering their child”, however the use of the word when associated with the murder of child with special needs has recently come under fire; and

WHEREAS, Filicide and intra-familial homicide committed by caregivers is often difficult to track due to underreporting and misreporting that occurs throughout the criminal justice system; and

WHEREAS, When reporting on a filicide occurs, excuses for the perpetrators actions are often given as if the killing was a “mercy-killing” or that the perpetrator was “having a moment”; and

WHEREAS, Justifying or normalizing these acts of violence are dangerous, and can lead to more acts of violence being committed on disabled children; and

WHEREAS, According to a report conducted by The Ruderman Family Foundation in 2017, between 2011 – 2015, 219 disabled people were murdered by the parents or their caregivers; and

WHEREAS, That number comes out to roughly a

murder

per week

of disabled children via filicide; and

WHEREAS, Since 2012, the Autism Self Advocacy Network, through the efforts of their Director of Operations Zoe Gross, have been holding vigils internationally on the Disability Day of Mourning, March 1st; and

WHEREAS, Names such as Danieal Kelly, Ethan Okula, and David Hess have already made Philadelphians aware of the awful things that can be done to disabled children, and the work being done to honor them; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That the City of Philadelphia hereby declares March 1st, 2018 as Disability Day of Mourning in the City of Philadelphia, and to raise awareness for the victims.

End