Are data protection laws sufficient for privacy intrusions? The case in Hong Kong

An area of concern which relates to privacy intrusions in Hong Kong is the substantial changes that have taken place in recent years in relation to news gathering and reporting and the activities of local paparazzi. The issue that needs to be addressed is how intrusions of privacy can be protected in Hong Kong. The most significant reform to date has been the enactment of the Personal Data (Privacy) Ordinance which provides rules for the fair handling of information about living individuals. However, the Ordinance is concerned only with data protection and does not provide a general privacy right. This article demonstrates the inadequacies of existing legislation for general privacy protection and examines the possibility of developing a separate action for general privacy via a) an action of extended breach of confidence as demonstrated by the UK model and b) a sui generis cause of action as can be seen in the New Zealand courts.     

Factors in prison suicide: one year study in Texas.

The goal of the study was to examine psychopathology and stressors suffered by suicide victims, and to describe the characteristics of the suicides in the Texas Department of Criminal Justice between June of 1996 to June of 1997. Data on 25 completed suicides were collected from the records department. Results: The authors identified 60% of the suicide victims with a history of psychiatric disorders. Seventy-six percent had been diagnosed with psychiatric disorders while incarcerated. The most frequent psychiatric disorders were mood disorders (64%), psychotic disorders (44%), personality disorders (56%), and comorbidity with a history of presentencing alcohol and drug abuse was common. Most of the victims experienced chronic and/or acute stressors of acute trauma, disrupted relationship, sentence hearing, and/or medical condition. We concluded that important factors associated with increased risk of prison suicide include psychiatric disorders, comorbid substance abuse, a history of suicide attempt, and chronic and/or acute stressors.     

The Implications of Childhood Sexual Abuse on Adult Social Behavior

Research indicates that childhood sexual abuse creates many long-term psychological difficulties, which may impair social behavior. These problems include anxiety, fear, depression, self-hatred, alienation, and suicidal tendencies. It was hypothesized that childhood sexual abuse would produce impaired social behavior in adults sexually abused as children. Two hundred and twenty-two male and female introductory psychology students from the University of Manitoba completed the Rand Corporation's Social Health Battery amplpar1978amprpar;, Linn's Social Dysfunction Rating Scale (1969), and a shortened version of Finkelhor's Sexual Victimization Survey (1979). Participants who experienced childhood sexual abuse exhibited impaired social behavior, which included fewer friends and social contacts, and more social adjustment problems. The importance of early intervention for children who experienced sexual abuse was discussed.