The more I read, the more confused I become. So I'm going to just spread this all out on the table and see whether anyone else can make any sense of this. I sure as hell can't.
- ACC changes the criteria for sex abuse victims to gain access to professional counseling. Fact.
- These changes result in a 95% drop in approved cases. Fact.
- The changes were recommended by research conducted by professionals at Massey University. Um, well some of them were. In fact, only one was. Their recommendation for treatment of those diagnosed with PTSD (Post Traumatic Stress Disorder).
- Nick Smith (ACC Minister) claims health professionals throughout New Zealand support the recommendations in place. Not true. More than 600 (previously approved) therapists have pulled away from ACC. Doctors are refusing to refer to clients. The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners has denounced the changes as well as several other health professions, including a small group that was set up initially by ACC. Even Massey University has distanced themselves from the "butchered research."
- Felicity Goodyear-Smith has been linked to the new ACC changes. Fact. She is also the wife of a convicted child sex offender. Fact. She was also the GP during the Centrepoint sex scandal - to some of those victims at the time. Fact. She advocates for a website that assists men in "getting off" on sex charges. Fact. She's usually called as a defense witness in male sex offending cases. Fact. Her research supports False Memory Syndrome. Fact. She made recommendations to the recently changed guidelines now enforced by ACC. Fact.
- Peter Jansen, ACC, claims the new Clinical Pathway (system) is based on Massey University guidelines. Fact. He then says they weren't. Fact. He also claimed the RNZCGP supported the changes. Fact. But then he apparently wrote the supporting letter. Peter Jansen is on the RNZCGP board. Fact.
There's a lot more to add to this confusing web of deceit and a lot of fine people trying to weave their way through all this mess. To me, it is simple. If there is nothing to hide then why all the cloak and daggers surrounding these changes? Why does it take people applying under the Official Information Act to simply get straight answers as to who really did implement these changes and moreover, why? Why is it that every "official" involved with the new ACC recommendations seems to have another agenda other than the obvious, which is to simply allow clients access to professional therapy? Is it really all about money, status, whitewashing true intention, or the next election?
Wow that Goodyear-Smith has a lot to answer for as does ACC and Auckland University.
ReplyDeleteFelicity Goodyear-Smith & her 2 decade conflict with DSAC (Doctors for Sexual Abuse Care)
History
1. FGS was a police doctor in the early 1980s & apparently wrote a sexual assault examination guide for medical practitioners.
2. On the basis of this early work she & a few other founding doctors were given life memberships of DSAC.
3. From 1990 (when Bert was arrested on drugs charges) to about 1992-3 (when Felicity was arrested on perjury charges [but not convicted at her trial in 1993]) her membership was a cause of increasing concern to DSAC. She was asked to resign but refused to do so.
4. Eventually, with the agreement of all the other life-members, DSAC formerly rescinded all life-memberships as well as that category of membership, and those concerned were required to reapply for membership. Felicity's reapplication was refused and has been ever since.
5. I am not sure of the formal reasons given at that time for her exclusion.
Currently, despite legal threats, DSAC continues to refuse FGS membership.
Link to Sunday Star Times on this matter:
http://findarticles.com/p/news-articles/sunday-star-times-wellington-new-zealand/mi_8185/is_20091011/legal-threats-abuse-row/ai_n51671659/
DSAC is constrained from commenting publicly in the face of legal threats.
DSAC's on going refusal of membership is likely to be based on:
1. FGS's consistent, vigorous and exclusive alignment in her writings and court appearances with alleged perpetrators
2. FGS's demonstrated willingness in her 2007 'gonorrhea paper' to present shoddy research
3. Questions which remain about possible failure in duty of care of her patients (especially pre-teen and teenage girls) during her 4 years as the Centrepoint Community doctor, which correspond exactly to institutionalised illegal drug use and Bert Potter's drugs-for-sex activities with pre-teen & teenage girls.
4. FGS's construction of all those acting for the victims as being part of a 'sexual abuse industry'...
Ref: Goodyear-Smith, F. (1993). First do no harm: The sexual abuse industry. Auckland, NZ: Benton-Guy Publishing
5. FGS's 'sexual abuse industry' construction is consistent with the attitudes and ideology of her father-in-law Bert Potter.
Here are some of FGS articles published in respected journals. Do people really read this and think “oh yeah, great research” or do they know that these people researching and writing in these areas because they have VESTED interests in creating these theories?? I know, I’m obsessing somewhat about all this but it seems hugely UNJUST that she can sprout theories and then the Government can design policy around them, ignoring the ACTUAL RESAERCH by the ACTUAL EXPERTS who work in the areas. Now she is a Professor at Auckland University passing on her crap to a whole new generation. So what hope is there for mental health services and sexual abuse services if she is now leading primary health care in our country?? Don’t send your son to medical school at Auckland people.
ReplyDeleteHere’s some of her research for you to judge for yourselves:
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Rethinking+the+routine+provision+of+psychotherapy+to+...-a0170157205
Abstract
“Whether symptomatic or asymptomatic, children labeled sexually abused are routinely offered treatment at considerable financial cost. One result of this is that mental health professionals are being charged with exploiting the problem of child sexual abuse (CSA). Is the routine provision of psychotherapy for children and adolescents labeled sexually abused warranted? In this paper, it is argued that the evidence indicates it is not warranted. Further, its provision is not in the best interests of either the children or mental health professionals. It is argued it is time to rethink the routine provision of psychotherapy to children and adolescents labeled sexually abuse. A number of recommendations are given which follow from the evidence.”
THEN:
http://www.ipt-forensics.com/journal/volume6/j6_2_1.htm
ABSTRACT: There are no medical signs in the vast majority of sexual abuse cases. Many findings promoted as physical indicators of abuse have been shown to be present in nonabused children. In particular hymenal openings said to measure more than 4 mm, genital rashes and redness, and anal reflex dilatation have been demonstrated to be unreliable medical indicators. Children can be harmed both by unnecessary invasive investigation (including general anesthesia) and by subsequent interventions if the allegations are false. Doctors must insure that they have an empirical basis for the interpretation of their findings, and that they do not allow someone else's belief that a child has been abused to color their clinical judgment. Describing normal findings as "consistent with abuse" is decried. This practice is likely to mislead a court to erroneously believe that there is physical evidence supportive of abuse.
THEN: (her Masters thesis)
http://www.nzfvc.org.nz/PublicationDetails.aspx?publication=13183
This thesis outlines historical precedents of the 'repressed sexual abuse memories' debate and explores the origins and meanings of 'repression' and 'dissociation'. It was hypothesised that although child sexual abuse is reported to be widespread throughout New Zealand social strata, families recently experiencing allegations of historical child sexual abuse based on recovered memories during adulthood belong to a specific socio-economic group, and accusations being levelled are very atypical with respect to known sexual offending parameters. The objective was to provide more detailed knowledge than currently exists about the nature of sexual abuse allegations in New Zealand.
Well of course she has to say all that - she needs to justify remaining with a convicted child sex offender and being responsible as the GP at CenterPoint and subsequent sex scandal that arose from that.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to think those responsible for the implementation of ACC's sex abuse counseling "system" and subsequent denial of 95% of their caseloads is by people who don't know this about Felicity but I suspect I am wrong.
It's all about the money.
People wonder what does Goodyear-Smith have to gain from all these ideologies of hers now that her husband and friends have served their sentences. Shouldn’t they be allowed to move on?
ReplyDeleteMassey University’s Dept of Psychology research into the experiences of Centrepoint’s 2nd generation, ie. those who spent significant years of their childhood at Centrepoint, including the years when FGS was the GP has been released recently and while it discusses many issues it also talks about various under-age boys having sex with older woman in the CP community.
http://www.publictrust.co.nz/__data/assets/pdf_file/0012/42222/FINAL-Centrepoint-Report-for-Release-31.03.10.pdf
I’m not a lawyer but I know female sex with under-age boys was not illegal in NZ until 2005 and Centrepoint closed in 2000. So they must be worried in light of the law change and the Massey research what may still be in store for them through the legal justice system. Remembering those convicted in the past were only for child sex with females so NO prosecutions have been brought to them from the many now adult men. So that in large is what I think hangs around FGS and other ex-Centrepoint Members necks and is the reason why she has to be soooo invested in changing ideologies and policy.
ACC urged to review sex abuse counselling(1995, October 16). Dominion Post, p. 9.
ReplyDelete"... The call by Casualties of Sexual Allegations comes after the ACC last month expressed concern about rising costs of counselling in sexual abuse claims.
...
Casualties head Felicity Goodyear-Smith said yesterday the ACC was "right to be worried".
Such ACC claims, she said, did not require any corroboration that sexual abuse had occurred, with a number of complainants "recovering" memories of highly improbable or impossible events such as satanic ritual abuse when only a few months of age."
...
""Mr Cockram conceded ... a lack of adequate evaluation of the effectiveness of the counselling, saying it was "fair comment" and the ACC was seeking improvement."
Wonder if this was the start of the whole ACC fiasco - it seems to be one of the triggers for FGS's article that seems to be the real basis of the new ACC guidelines. They were just waiting for the right time/government to put in the recommendations - using the Massey study which was released after FGS's work, as a guise.
It's hard not to be a conspiracy theorist with all this going on...
It was quite a different environment in the 1990's, when many of FGS's views were formed. Also, the convictions at Centrepoint must have influenced her thinking in some way. The thing is, that most within the mental health field learned from the 90's and moved on... she hasn't, she's still stuck there. Oh, that's right... she doesn't have any mental health qualifications does she????
Thanks Castorgirl and yes, most have moved on from the whole "false memory" theory and discredited it. So, it's always interesting when people who have family and close friends have convictions for child sex offenses that they continue to jump on that train. What is scary is how they manage to con people and Governments. This review of the pathway will bite them all on the arse HARD!
ReplyDelete