East Ayrshire woman with epilepsy raising awareness after abuse
Jacqui Kiltie says she's scared to go outside
A Newmilns woman is calling for more awareness of epilepsy after facing abuse in public.
Jacqui Kiltie was diagnosed in 2017 and has been filmed whilst having a seizure and has had personal belongings stolen.
The 52 year-old is now scared to go out in fear of being abused.
She said: “I don’t know how many times people have accused me of being drunk or on drugs.
If I’m disorientated it takes me a wee while to know why I’m in a place after a seizure so they’re asking me questions and I can’t answer them – so they leave me.
“It’s this loss of dignity, this loss of myself as an educated person with a whole life behind me and to be treated like that, it’s quite shameful.”
It's after a report found over 50% of people with the condition in the UK have avoided public places due to the fear of having a seizure and experiencing stigma and misunderstanding.
That's according to Epilepsy Action, which also found 47% of people have been accused of being drunk or on drugs after having a seizure in public.
Epilepsy Action campaign
The charity has launched its CARE acronym and free posters to create a more supportive environment for people with epilepsy in public space as it is revealed fears lead people with epilepsy to avoid social interaction.
C – Comfort
Cushion their head with something soft to protect them from injury
A – Action
Start to time the seizure, and clear the area of anything that might be harmful. You could also check if the person has a medical ID or bracelet with more information on how to help
R – Reassure
After the seizure stops, put the person in the recovery position and reassure them as they come round
E – Emergency
Call 999 if the person:
• has a seizure lasting longer than 5 minutes
• is not regaining consciousness
• goes straight into another seizure
• has trouble breathing after the seizure stops
• has never had a seizure before
The main findings of the charity’s research are:
• Over 50% of people with epilepsy in the UK have avoided public places due to the fear of having a seizure and experiencing stigma and misunderstanding.
• 47% of people with epilepsy have been accused of being drunk or on drugs after having a seizure in public.
• 8% of people with epilepsy have been robbed, and 7% have been physically assaulted while having a seizure in public. 10% search social to see if videos or comments exist.
• Over 90% of people with epilepsy believe that public spaces do not do enough to help or make people aware of what they should do if someone has a seizure in public.