Breaking The Silence

52 minute documentary

The conventional wisdom in psychology is that most people who don’t speak are that way because they’re too stupid to do so. Rosie Crossley, a bouncy Australian communication therapist, has spent thirty years trying to prove this isn’t so. 

This documentary lets us see the difficulties these people have in coping with daily life, what she teaches them, and what happens then, and lets us decide for ourselves whether she’s right. 

For more than 30 years Rosie has lived with Annie MacDonald who she rescued from an institution after an infamous court battle. Together they wrote the best selling book (later made into an AFI winning Film)Annie’s Coming Out. Today Rosie still works with young people who cannot speak and we meet several of her clients who make remarkable progress once given the tools to communicate effectively. Despite her successes Rosie’s methods are still not widely accepted and we follow one client who is fighting the Victorian government in the courts for the right to use Rosie’s communication methods.

Jason is a young man with Down syndrome and autism who is undertaking tertiary education after fifteen years working with Rosie. She’s trained others to help him communicate but the government doesn’t believe he belongs in mainstream society. They are seeking guardianship over him in the Victorian Courts. If the government wins Jason will lose everything and end up living in a government share house with no control over his own destiny. His solicitor is a nuggety man perpetually in a hurry – except when he’s with Jason. “Jason has taught me to slow down.” He says. “That’s the only way you can find out what he has to say.” The opposition won’t take the time to find out what he has to say. They think Jason’s communication is made up by the support person.

Jason’s case echoes that of Annie MacDonald. It’s the same battle over again. 

We see Rosie working with younger newer clients who are also making progress. We wonder if they too will have to fight for the right to communicate in school and in life. Most special schools won’t allow students to use facilitated communication. It’s not allowed in adult share houses either. Those affected get agitated and sometimes violent. When they can communicate they seem more manageable. Rosie knows her methods work but will we be convinced. Will acceptance follow or will her clients still be fighting in the courts in another thirty years for the right to be heard?