Christian Porter will no doubt get access to the best mental health care. Thousands of at-risk women aren’t so lucky.
Last week, Australia’s Attorney General, Hon Christian Porter took leave to address mental health issues related to being identified as the politician accused of the historical rape of a sixteen-year-old girl in 1988. The alleged accuser is said to have had significant mental health issues and suicided in 2020.
Mental illness often lies at the bottom of many interpersonal tragedies. In most instances, it is the lack of mental health support or intervention that is the common factor but the flip side has become increasingly more common too.
Mental health issues can be blamed for poor choices, impulsive acts of behaviour or intentional actions towards that people are ordinarily supposed to care about, as a way of dodging responsibility and recourse. Even when there is no evidence of clear- cut symptoms or a history of needing services or interventions.