The Citizens Commission on Human Rights (CCHR) launched its traveling exhibit with a grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony on June 23 at the Mini Social event space in Old Town Scottsdale, Arizona. The event featured local businessman Jimmy Alauria as master of ceremonies, who introduced CCHR's mission to expose human rights abuses in mental health.
Special guest Judy Renfro, a member of JustServe, a global volunteerism movement of the LDS Church, spoke about her work with addiction. She shared tragic stories of individuals who lost everything to drugs, emphasizing the responsibility of medical professionals. "As a society, we place tremendous trust in medical professionals," Renfro said. "When prescribing medications that can alter behavior, create dependency, impair judgment, or affect cognitive function, careful consideration must be given not only to the intended benefits but also to the long-term consequences for the individual, their family, and the broader community."
The ribbon-cutting opened the exhibit, which features graphic panels and documentaries exposing the history of false science and abuses in the psychiatric industry. Attendees expressed surprise at the origins of psychiatry and the extent of past abuses, with many finding the evidence difficult to believe until seeing it firsthand.
The exhibit was open to the public during its stay in Phoenix, drawing interest from visitors who viewed displays and videos. It has since moved to its next destination as part of a tour of major U.S. cities. CCHR operates 14 identical traveling exhibits worldwide, warning parents and community members that psychiatric treatments can be deadly.
For more information, visit the CCHR website or watch documentaries on CCHR volunteers around the world and the film "Psychiatry: An Industry of Death" on the Scientology Network.
CCHR was co-founded in 1969 by psychiatrist Dr. Thomas Szasz and the Church of Scientology. Its commissioners include physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists, lawyers, legislators, government officials, educators, and civil rights representatives. The organization is inspired by Scientology founder L. Ron Hubbard's commitment to ending physically damaging practices in mental health.
