Letters to Editors by Gordon Waugh 1997
To the Herald, 8 January 1997
[A heading of your choice, preferably as large as the one given to H. Auld’s letter!]
H. Auld’s assertion (Jan 6) that "false allegations of rape are no more common than in other crimes" repeats a commonly-held misconception. Allegations of rape and sexual abuse are widely used as weapons in today’s society. Apart from genuine cases, they are used in child custody disputes, extortion attempts, vindictive attacks and for pecuniary gain. Adequate proof exists that a disproportionate and increasing number of them are false. Allen Collier’s case is but one example.
Acknowledged imperfections exist in our laws, and in the justice, police and jury systems. Flawed systems produce flawed results. Initial investigation is often inadequate. Some evidence lacks substance. Some cases turn on witness credibility alone. Some law reforms have created, not solved, problems.
Instead of uncritically believing a complainant, police should thoroughly investigate and weigh the evidence both for and against an allegation. The requirement for corroborative evidence, removed a decade ago, should be re-instated. It is difficult, sometimes impossible, to mount a defence against allegations of events years, decades old, and a statute of limitation is sorely needed.
Until these key problems are resolved, the Chief Justice and many others will retain "the uneasy feeling that an innocent person may have been convicted".
G. Waugh, Whenuapai
To the Nelson Mail, 5 March 1997
Unbridled Power
I applaud your editorial comments about CYPS (Nelson Mail, Feb 27). It is high time its procedures, methods and beliefs were publicly scrutinised. The incident described is but one aspect of how false allegations of sexual abuse arise.
We in COSA (Casualties Of Sexual Allegations Inc) deal daily with the aftermath of similarly mishandled cases, in which allegations were made on mere suspicion, but without evidence. Wrongful allegations of sexual abuse destroy lives, families and reputations, and there are far too many of them being made.
CYPS has come under fire before, and will again, for unbridled use of its massive power. It functions from a presumption of guilt and the mistaken belief that "children don’t lie about abuse". Its interviewing techniques have been shown to be badly flawed. Many cases it pursues are proven to be false. Children and families are unnecessarily damaged by its zeal to find abuse.
Children are actively encouraged to develop their powers of imagination. The "Handee Towels" TV advertisement encapsulates this. "A mouse came down the chimney….A big cow pushed me….There was this really big chicken…." The institutional paranoia you noted makes it but a short step to "Dad abused me."
In its rush to find abuse, it has forsaken common-sense.
Gordon Waugh
Auckland
The Sunday Star-Times, 18 March 1997
YOUR TURN NEXT
TVNZ’s "Assignment" programme (Mar 13) clearly showed the fallacies underscoring "recovered memories". Our society has been held to ransom by those in counselling occupations whose self-appointed expertise commands them to find a history of sexual abuse at any cost.
During the 1980’s, before the now-ubiquitous toxic counsellors began to practice, ACC dealt with about 200 sexual abuse claims annually. It now has almost 200 each week, and in the five years 1992-96, had some 50,000 claims. The cost to taxpayers and the community is horrendous.
Extended family groups typically number about 20 people. Allegations made by the 50,000 claimants, whether true or false, have therefore adversely affected some 1,000,000 other people. Another 10,000 claims this year will hurt 200,000 more.
Counsellors are trained in unbelievably ridiculous theories and methods. They have no national regulatory body, no compulsory external examinations, and no accountability. False allegations of sexual abuse created by poorly-trained and misinformed counsellors cause tragedy.
Wake up, folks! What will you do when (not if) you are falsely accused? How will you defend yourselves? Have you saved $100,000 to pay for your defence? What will you do to stop counsellors from destroying more families and damaging your children?
G. Waugh, Auckland
To The Christchurch Mail, 25 March 1997
Alan Duff’s opinions on sexual abuse (The Mail, Mar 20) have forsaken his perceptive and well-reasoned concepts of "Once Were Warriors". He now advocates violence, cynicism, and emotion, instead of evidence, corroboration and reasonable proof.
Vigilante methods are unjustifiable and negative. False allegations of sexual abuse are now everyday events, made for reasons of compensation, malice, unfair advantage, or extortion. They are almost obligatory in custody disputes. Invariably, they result from the intervention of zealous, misguided and poorly-trained psychologists, counsellors, social workers and other do-gooders, employing absurd and irrational belief-systems. Their clients are more likely to be victims of counselling abuse than sexual abuse.
I’m a member of COSA, an organisation which deals with false allegations of sexual abuse. We get new cases daily. The allegations are often of impossible and unbelievable acts. We help falsely accused people to analyse the evidence both for and against them, assemble a defence, educate their lawyers, support them with expert advice, and treat them with respect and compassion. We educate the public and the professions. We have every sympathy for genuine victims, but deplore those who make false claims.
Open-minded discussion, and education using credible and reliable information, would be much more useful in eliminating abuse than Mr. Duff’s present advice.
G. Waugh, Auckland
To the Sunday Star-Times (undated)
HYPERBOLE
The new Rape Crisis statistical report is hyperbole of the worst kind. The annual Ministry of Justice report "Convicting and Sentencing of Offenders" is the definitive document on prosecution and conviction realities. During the 1992-96 years, there were about 7,300 prosecutions nation-wide for all forms of sexual crime, resulting in about 4,200 convictions.
Rape Crisis say that it is "a generally accepted estimate that only one in ten rapes is reported". Accepted by whom? Rape Crisis would have us believe that only 10% of 10% of 10% of rape and sexual abuse cases result in convictions. A simple test of that "logic" is to apply it to factual data.
The actual number of convictions (4,200) represents in Rape Crisis terms, 10% of those cases which got to court. Therefore 42,000 went to court. But these are only 10% of the reported crimes, therefore 420,000 were reported. 90% are unreported, they claim. Therefore the total number of incidents in that brief period is over four million.
Applying Rape Crisis figures solely to the 752 or so rape convictions, there would have been about 750,000 rapes the 1992-96 period. Mmmm!
G. Waugh, Auckland
To the Listener, 8 April 1997
Your correspondents Davies, Read and Seymour (Listener, Apr 5) hold an untenable position on "recovered memories". Their comments are manifestly wrong and misleading. They put no burden of proof on themselves and argue only in generalities.
Their claim that "the research demonstrates that most disclosures ……do not occur within counselling" is just too cute. What research? Where else do thousands of people "recover" memories? Access to ACC counsellors does not depend on having prior memories of abuse. Their "definition" is therefore meaningless.
Demonstrably, many counsellors do use hypnotic techniques to implant, enhance and encourage pseudo-memories of abuse. Clearly and simply, the issue is whether such "memories" are historically accurate – that demands external corroboration which counsellors intentionally avoid.
If the beliefs of these correspondents and ACC’s 1,000 approved counsellors are correct, our jail population would rise from about 5,000 to overflow with men who allegedly abused ACC’s most recent 60,000-odd claimants.
A cautionary policy statement from the NZ Medical Association on the fallacies underpinning "recovered memory therapy" and its derivatives is long overdue. The rush to "recover" memories is an asinine fad, which will end, despite the sophistry of this tiresome trio.
G. Waugh, Auckland
To the Herald, 29 April 1997
THE GREAT TURNIP CRISIS
Years ago, Rape Crisis boldly but foolishly stated that "one in three girls, and perhaps as many boys, will be sexually abused by age 18." Ever since, it has been trying to justify that claim.
It has lost the plot. Any retrospective study, in which self-appointed experts ask leading questions of a captive audience, is bound to be impossibly flawed. Rape Crisis has made the fatal errors of confusing allegations with facts, and believing uncorroborated anecdotes wrung from its clients.
Its acknowledgement that the public now talks about the many false allegations has snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, and exposed its belief that false allegations are very rare. Suggesting "rape" has lost its impact because of false allegations is naive and illogical. Rape is a "really violent and nasty crime". Equally, false allegations are despicable, cowardly and intolerable.
Moving the goalposts to "sexual violation" will not hide the systemic inadequacies or political roots of this organisation. A name change would be beneficial. The Shorter Oxford gives many options. Brassica napus, usually grown as food for sheep, would be appropriate. If there is a crisis, it is one of common sense and credibility, rather than turnips.
G. Waugh, Auckland
To the Herald, 13 May 1997
The argument over recovered memories (Herald May 10) is between science and belief-systems. While the factions debate, the human cost and tragedy of false allegations created by memory excavation continues to accumulate. The convenience of the term "sexual abuse" is being used as a conduit to money and the illusion of power.
Despite the theoretical niceties, we parents know our children much better than any counsellor ever will. Years of our love and care, from birth to counselling, went into guiding, educating, and nursing them through life’s illnesses and crises. We know the historical truth about their lives, their good and bad choices, their failures and successes, weaknesses and strengths. But counsellors deliberately avoid us.
The believing counsellors are wrong. Scientists say so. Thousands upon thousands of accused parents and families say so. Former clients say so. Courts say so. Common sense and history say so. But the carnage of families devastated by false allegations continues unabated.
Genuine sexual abuse is far too serious to let counsellors continue to elicit uncorroborated, destructive pseudo-memories from disturbed minds. Their earth-shattering diagnoses of sexual abuse imposes undeserved life-time sentences on the client, her family and future generations. For the good of our society, this epidemic must be halted.
G. Waugh, Whenuapai
To the Herald, 16 June 1997 and Rotorua Daily Post, 18 June 1997
INNOCENT PEOPLE CHARGED
Police Assistant Commissioner Brian Duncan, challenging comments made at a public meeting by Bryan Rowe (Herald, June 16) said "he had never heard of people being wrongly charged because of limited police resources."
Police willingly acknowledge serious staff shortage, and alarming loss rates. Their time and resources are limited, and experience levels diminished.
Particularly in allegations of sexual crime, (Mr. Rowe’s discussion topic) there are many examples of people wrongly charged. Mr Duncan should indeed investigate them. Little or no investigation is done, police do not balance the evidence both for and against allegations, and a presumption of guilt exists. Often, the evidence presented to courts is plainly untenable. About 40 per cent of these prosecutions fail. That is a sad reflection of undesirable changes to police resources, experience levels, and attitudes.
While public concern over these matters is serious, the lack of an impartial prosecution process has become a major concern. As human beings, the police can, do and will continue to make mistakes. A separate Prosecution Office could provide a vital safeguard, a balanced view of all the evidence, and improve deployment of police resources and investigation capabilities, while minimising wrongful charges.
G. Waugh, Whenuapai
To the Shore News, 4 July 1997
CLOSURE OF CENTRE
Spare us the tears and emotional appeals. For a decade, the North Shore Women’s Centre has disseminated the most appalling nonsense on women’s issues in general, and sexual abuse in particular. Even in its death throes, its co-ordinator still proclaims that eating difficulties are caused by sexual abuse. I challenge her to prove that to the public.
The Centre claims a 150% increase in calls about eating disorders. In their belief-system, that must imply a vast amount of sexual abuse. But the calls included general enquiries from "parents, concerned friends and students studying eating disorders". This does not reflect the number of genuine cases, or a need for a year-long "Beyond Bulimia" course.
By indulging in hyperbole and masquerading as a professional service, the Centre has failed women and mislead the public. Ms Keys is correct when she says "it is really important that women get good information and help", but the Centre failed to provide that. The mental health of women would be better served by common sense, honesty and credible information.
That a grant from the Community Funding Agency will keep it open for another month is a disgrace and a waste of taxpayer funds. Close it right now.
G. Waugh, Whenuapai
To the Herald, 14 July 1997
FACT OR FICTION?
Rape Crisis is lauding its recent "Rape & Sexual Abuse" report covering the years 1992-96. Its "statistics" appear to have gone unchallenged. Rape Crisis say that it is "a generally accepted estimate that only one in ten rapes is reported" and would have us believe that only 10% of those reported get to court, and of those, only 10% result in convictions. A simple test of that "logic" is to apply it to factual data.
The Ministry of Justice report "Convicting and Sentencing of Offenders" is the definitive document on prosecutions and convictions. During the 1992-96 years, there were about 7,300 prosecutions nation-wide for all forms of sexual crime, resulting in about 4,200 convictions. About 752 were for rape.
In Rape Crisis terms, the 752 represents 10% of those cases which got to court. Therefore 7,520 went to court. But these are only 10% of reported rapes, therefore 75,200 were reported. If 90% were unreported, the total number of rapes in that very brief period is over 750,000. Can Rape Crisis explain this little anomaly?
G. Waugh, Whenuapai
This letter won the award of a Waterman pen!
To North & South Magazine, 17 July 1997
David McLoughlin’s timely article (August) emphasises well-known flaws in the justice system and comments on the tragedy of false allegations of sexual abuse.
Let’s not kid ourselves. Allegations of sexual abuse are used as weapons, and as levers to gain advantage. They are commonly made by women exposed to counselling, in child custody cases, for extortion, by children after suggestive interviewing, for vindictive or mistaken reasons, and to obtain ACC compensation. In the very brief period from 1992-96, ACC handled almost 60,000 claims for alleged sexual abuse, and according to Rape Crisis, over 750,000 rapes were committed.
Illogically, sexual crimes are treated differently from others. Police believe complainants. The age-old requirement for corroboration was removed from the Evidence Act. A complainant’s previous sexual history is inadmissible. She cannot be cross-examined at depositions. Complainants are "victims" and accused are "perpetrators" even before a trial. And that very essence of justice, a presumption of innocence, went out with the bathwater.
DI Doyle and others confuse opinion with fact. Opinion: "The criminal justice system has a series of filters designed to ensure innocent men are not prosecuted…." Fact: The 1,570 or so rape prosecutions in the years 1992-96 resulted in about 750 convictions, an unacceptable failure rate of 52%. Some filters are absent.
By saying "Our philosophy is that we set out to prove a complaint is true", DI Doyle declares a clear presumption of guilt. An investigator’s task is to find and balance evidence for and against allegations, from a neutral stance.
Too many trials hinge on witness credibility instead of credible evidence. Too many lives have been devastated by false allegations of sexual abuse. It is time now to correct obvious systemic flaws. Police must do thorough investigations. Politicians must amend the law to reintroduce corroboration, allow trial without jury, establish a 5-year statute of limitation, automatically compensate those falsely accused, and penalise false accusers. And judges should more often exercise their prerogative to terminate trials where prosecution evidence is unreasonable, bizarre or impossible.
G. Waugh, Auckland
To the North Shore Times Advertiser, 21 July 1997
Like its sister organisation, Rape Crisis, which claimed that 750,000 rapes occurred between 1992 and 1996, the North Shore Women’s Centre wallows in propaganda and hyperbole in claiming a "Huge increase in eating disorders" (July 17).
Just two weeks ago, the NSWC gave a different story to another newspaper. The "huge increase" (that is, 167 enquiries!) is in fact predominantly composed of general enquiries "from parents, teenagers, concerned friends, and students studying eating disorders."
Much worse was their earlier statement that eating difficulties are caused by sexual abuse. I challenged them to prove this to the public. Their silence was deafening.
They apparently did not tell you that North Health won’t allocate funding for eating disorder treatment because the centre does not follow a medical model, or that professionally-run specialist clinics for genuine cases are available. Nor it seems, did they tell you that the Community Funding Agency donated $10,000 to allow the centre to continue in business for another month.
The NSWC has been "very creative" with the truth about women’s mental health and other matters. It is now trying to convince us that "greater [financial] input from local authorities" is vital. It is costly, superfluous, and amateur. For the sake of women’s health and sanity, close it now.
G. Waugh, Whenuapai
To the Herald, 14 August 1997
Sadly, sexual abuse of both males and females is endemic in our society, but we are not "largely in denial". We have been fed appalling nonsense by self-appointed experts about its claimed prevalence. Hundreds of thousands of children. As many as 476,000 women. 150,000 rapes annually. Almost every female seems to have been sexually abused. Mind-boggling stuff, that.
The supply of female victims must be nearly exhausted. It makes good business sense to generate a captive market by creating a new problem, more victims, more treatment, more employment for counsellors. For a fee. So now it’s the turn of males.
Doctors for Sexual Abuse Care will hold a conference to "expose the untold story". Its visiting overseas "experts" will persuade us that sexual abuse of males is rampant, and reported cases are the tip of an iceberg. John Read joins its caterwauling by saying "I think we can safely say that there are thousands of boys being abused….."
Open-minded discussion, backed by credible research and evidence, would serve the community and science better than hyperbole. Then we might know whether the drama of a "huge untold story of the rape and sexual abuse of males" is a good Read.
G. Waugh, Whenuapai
To the Herald, 1 September 1997
A police trio (Sept 1) attempted to demolish Mrs Faithfull’s argument that double standards exist in police handling of rape complaints. Shooting messengers is seldom productive. Their choice of derision, instead of frankness, was unhelpful. They said police developed a "mandate" to review its policy from the Doctors for Sexual Abuse Care (DSAC) conference on rape in Wellington (28-30 March 1996).
That conference called for police to "Believe the Victim", and claimed that "False allegations might happen, but are very rare". The clairvoyant belief that "Most victims never disclose" was reiterated. That is not a sound basis for any sort of mandate.
Police have said their philosophy is to set out to prove a complaint is true. Uncritical acceptance of complaints is the norm. Corroboration is not required. Where, then, is the presumption of innocence, thorough and balanced investigation, healthy scepticism, or evidence? The absence of these factors has created the double standard.
The public would better be able to judge the value of the policy revision if that testy trio told us what the policy is, and showed that the "more uniform, consistent" new approach favoured the principles of justice, instead of the complainant.
G. Waugh, Whenuapai
To the Press, 18 September 1997
Comments by Judge Erber (Press, Sep 10) about "inflicting counselling" on a 10-year old girl have drawn fire and dismay from Ms Donaldson (Press, Sep 13). By putting the value of counselling in clear perspective, Judge Erber has brought a refreshing viewpoint to our attention.
Recent credible research correctly suggests that counselling can be counter-productive and damaging to the client. Much to the chagrin of counsellors, some who are sexually abused do not necessarily suffer permanent or serious damage.
Counselling has become an over-rated panacea. The definition, claimed effects, and prevalence of sexual abuse have been vastly over-stated. Far too many poorly-trained counsellors purvey misguided belief-systems, and do unnecessary damage to children and families.
As many involved in child custody, access and sexual abuse disputes will attest, counselling inflicts institutionalised abuse on children, under the cloak of officialdom and self-proclaimed superior knowledge. Children become damaged pawns while counsellors and psychologists defend their often absurd conclusions and methods.
For the sake of the children, counselling and psychological interviews should not be automatically prescribed. Judge Erber was right. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
G. Waugh, Auckland
To the Press, 22 September 1997
No wonder counselling has been brought into profound disrepute. Ms Rakena’s expression of horror (Press, Sept 20) epitomises the attitudes and beliefs held by many counsellors.
Their endless and impossible litany of the assumed effects of sexual abuse includes promiscuity, celibacy, frigidity, impotence, dissociation, low self-esteem, phobias, anxiety, relationship difficulties, depression, hypervigilence, numbed senses, nightmares, bed-wetting, aggression, compliance, ad infinitum.
Ms Rakena claims "A huge body of academic research supports our experience of these effects". There is no known causal link between sexual abuse and any specific psychiatric or psychological condition. Submitting her unspecified catalogue to public and scientific scrutiny would soon test its credibility and expose the real value of counsellors’ belief-systems.
What child never had a nightmare? Who avoided relationship difficulties? Who escaped anxiety? A deficiency of vasopressin commonly causes nocturnal enuresis, and has no definitive psychological cause. The claimed causes of depression and low self-esteem are legend, from cell-phone transmissions to space-alien abductions.
Counsellors need to find the courage and honesty to set aside their beliefs and anecdotes in favour of science, ethics, and common sense.
G. Waugh, Auckland
To the Herald, 17 October 1997
According to Ngaire Garland of the Auckland Help Foundation (Oct 16), the young woman in the Alcohol Advisory Council’s TV advertisement seemingly has no accountability for getting drunk, but the young man is "planning a serious crime".
Let’s use a little common sense. The new belief that women are incapable of making decisions and absolved from responsibility would cause Emily Panckhurst to turn in her grave.
Responsibility and accountability are the hand-maidens of choice, decision and rights. The young woman may not have been "acting illegally", but she made a wrong choice and a decision to get drunk. The young man also made a wrong choice. Both were wrong.
Rather than prattling about abuse, perpetrators and victims, Ms Garland would do better to educate young people to make acceptable choices and take responsibility for their actions, instead of teaching the ideology of blame and victimhood.
G. Waugh, Whenuapai
To the Herald, 21 October 1997
For decades, judges, coroners, and police have reported the shocking physical damage suffered by young girls when they are raped, some so severe as to require surgery, some so dreadful that victims die.
Doctors for Sexual Abuse Care (DSAC), a self-appointed expert body on sexual abuse, now advises police, CYPS and others on these matters. To support its political agenda, DSAC has imported many overseas "experts" who are proponents of recovered memories, multiple personality disorder, satanic ritual abuse and similar belief systems. These theories have been justly relegated to obscurity by prestigious medical bodies and Courts around the world, leaving DSAC isolated.
To re-assert its influence, DSAC has imported new beliefs. Its members now give evidence in court that "young girls can be raped without any obvious signs", (Herald, Oct 18) and that hymenal tissue can commonly repair itself without scarring.
If our judges and coroners are correct, then DSAC’s evidence is questionable. In the interests of justice, DSAC must now declare the source of its new evidence, and assure the public of its scientific validity.
G. Waugh, Whenuapai
To the Herald, 25 October 1997
By claiming that psychotic disorders could be caused by sexual abuse (Herald, Oct 22), Dr John Read marches to the beat of a lonely drum.
It is generally accepted that schizophrenia and some psychotic disorders result from biological abnormalities. His pseudo-science suggests that families of the afflicted sexually or physically abused their children. That is cruel and hurtful.
Contrary to his perception that some patients with psychological conditions may have been sexually abused, elementary training dictates that association does not prove causality. To justify his claim, he must unequivocally prove that patients he studied were in fact abused, and that no other cause of the disorder existed.
Dr Read’s recent claim (Herald, Aug 14) suggested widespread sexual abuse of boys "I think we can safely say there are thousands of boys being abused now, and many more who have been abused in the past…….." By his standards, there should then, be many thousands of men who develop schizophrenia, but apparently, it affects only about half of one per cent of the male population. Methinks he is hoist on his own petard !
G. Waugh, Whenuapai
To the Sunday Star Times, 28 October 1997
Dr John Read’s "staggering findings" on his perceived relationship between sexual abuse and psychotic disorders (Star Times, Oct 26) are better described as "tottering".
It is generally accepted that some psychotic disorders, particularly schizophrenia, result from biological abnormalities. His so-called link declares an abysmal ignorance of basic scientific tests. Theories must be testable, falsifiable, capable of peer review, and have a known error rate. Association does not prove causality.
Proof is needed that the 382 patients were in fact sexually abused, and that no other possible cause of psychotic disorder exists. But, he says, poverty, loneliness, homelessness, gender and race could be factors!
He recently confessed that he was sexually abused, and made the implausible claim "I think we can safely say there are thousands of boys being abused now, and many more who have been abused in the past…." But only about one per cent of the population develop psychotic disorders, and about half are male.
Dr Read implies that parents of schizophrenics sexually abused their children. That is cruel, heartless and offensive. Far from being a "leading clinical psychologist", could he be a lonely, impoverished, homeless, abused white male? Perhaps even psychotic?
G. Waugh, Auckland
Sunday Star-Times, 11 November 1997
Doctors for Sexual Abuse Care (DSAC) and John Read are leading lights in the bizarre world of the Sex Abuse Industry. Read’s response (Nov 9) to criticism of his so-called research was predictable. And of course DSAC welcomed his results. That sort of glib nonsense is a crutch for their bankrupt ideology.
Read’s comment that "psychiatric patients are no more likely than the rest of us to imagine or lie about abuse" is a gem! People become psychiatric patients because they often have a less than firm grip on reality. They are prone to adopting ambient social hysterias. During the 1950’s mentally unwell patients reported persecution by communists. More recently, some reported abduction by aliens. Sexual abuse is the current one.
To prove his point that a link exists between sexual abuse and psychotic disorders, Dr Read has only to produce credible research which complies with recognised international standards.
It is high time the Medical Council put DSAC under its microscope, and the University of Auckland demanded Read’s adherence to the principles of science, or his silence.
G. Waugh, Auckland
To the Herald, 17 November 1997
Intimate knowledge of scientific research techniques and the stern code of neutrality are hallmarks of true professionals. By declaring its support (Nov 15) for John Read’s findings about a link between sexual abuse and psychotic disorders, Doctors for Sexual Abuse Care (DSAC) has again overstepped the boundaries of professionalism.
At issue was, and still is, the credibility of Read’s findings. While it suits DSAC’s feminist agenda to give him bold and foolish support, it is unhelpful to patients, science or public confidence.
DSAC has seemingly allowed its bankrupt ideological obsession with sexual abuse to repress its professionalism. Perhaps a dose of the counselling it advocates would allow it to recover memories of long-forgotten professional disciplines.
The public is entitled to be sceptical of any new theories about sexual abuse. All we ask is that genuine evidence be provided. Simply put, show credible evidence or stop prattling.
It is high time the Medical Council put DSAC under its microscope and Auckland University demanded John Read’s adherence to the principles of science.
G. Waugh, Whenuapai
To the Herald, 17 December 1997
The comments by Dr Selina Green, President of DSAC, (Dec 17), clearly indicate the feminist agenda of her Doctors for Sexual Abuse Care organisation. DSAC changed its rules and used the change to terminate Dr Goodyear-Smith’s honorary membership. This "was an approach taken by a body who felt its aims were not being adhered to in a way that was in the interests of victims of abuse". DSAC "had no intention of muzzling Dr Goodyear-Smith".
In the field of sexual abuse, Dr Goodyear-Smith is a proponent of common sense, credible scientific information, and open discussion. She has brought to this ideologically influenced matter, a clarity and insight that transcends simplistic political stances, and has shed clear light on the epidemic of false allegations being made in our society.
A DSAC member, Dr Robin Fancourt, who now speaks for the Children’s Agenda, published a letter in the New Plymouth Daily News (Aug 3, 1995) attempting to discredit Dr Goodyear-Smith. DSAC has made other tawdry attempts to stop her speaking out about the false, unscientific and misleading information on sexual abuse disseminated by DSAC and its sister groups.
It seems that the mere thought of open discussion, or intellectual dissection of its beliefs, has frightened DSAC so badly that it sunk to unbelievably low tactical ploys to silence a principal critic. If that is not fascism, it is certainly feminism.
I repeat that it is past the time for the Medical Council to take a good hard look at DSAC and its beliefs.
G. Waugh, Whenuapai
To the Sunday Star-Times, 19 December 1997
ACC Minister Shipley (now Prime Minister) seems to have forgotten that her primary duties include protecting the public from incompetent and deceitful performance by government organisations, and getting her facts right.
I placed before her a clear case of fraud and professional misconduct by one of ACC’s "approved counsellors", and fraud by a claimant in a claim for alleged sexual abuse. Despite cogent and indisputable evidence, she declined to investigate my allegations, believing that ACC had treated the matter correctly.
In the ensuing correspondence, she has gone to great lengths to protect ACC and its counsellors. She says there is no provision in ACC’s governing legislation for the Corporation to discipline its counsellors. Section 166 of the ARCI Act says otherwise.
She says that claims lodged after 1 July 1992 were not eligible to receive lump sum awards. It is public knowledge that about 63,000 claims involving lump-sum awards were lodged after that date. Many thousands of those were for alleged sexual abuse, and many are suspected of being fraudulent.
Mrs Shipley’s performance is wanting. Those in ACC responsible for giving her advice must be brought to account. A public enquiry into the Sex Abuse Industry is overdue.
G. Waugh, Auckland
