WORKERS in a number of organisations concerned with the field of child sexual abuse have called on the Scottish Government to change the direction of Survivor Scotland (“Group for sex-abuse survivors under fire”, The Herald, September 26, and Letters, September 26).
As a former worker in an organisation combating child sexual abuse at international level, I would urge the Scottish Government to do no such thing.
In my experience, those claiming to have been sexually abused as children in the past fall into three categories:-
1. Those who have been so abused;
2. Those who have not been abused and knowingly make false claims for motives which include attention-seeking, spite and money;
3. Those who have not been abused and make false claims which they genuinely believe to be true.
“Listening strategies” are therefore needed to encourage those in category 1, winnow out those in category 2 and, hopefully, identify those in category 3. It is far from easy and I wouldn’t dream of trying to attach numbers.
For those in category 3, their false belief can be prompted by an existing psychiatric disorder but in many cases of which I am aware it was prompted by poor-quality therapy. In the 1990s, anyone could set up as a “therapist” without the need for training or registration. Amateur group therapy programmes were set up by individuals or organisations, often with agendas such as radical feminism or religious fundamentalism. The result was a flood of false accusations that ripped families apart, discredited the claims of those who had been really abused and undermined campaigners trying to get action on the real issue. It still happens today, though not on the same scale, nor is the problem related just to amateur therapists
The good news is that most of those abused as children are able to put the bad experience behind them and go on to lead happy and fulfilled lives. A minority suffer emotional and social problems such as low self-esteem and inability to trust others. Modern techniques, such as Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT) , can help. However, an important element of CBT is encouraging the person not to dwell on the unhappy past but rather to look forward to establishing a happy and stable future. This is a direct conflict with those who seek to campaign, to bring stories out in public and bring offenders to book. The latter needs to be done, of course, but Survivor Scotland does not need to do it. There are other organs and outlets.
In seeking to provide individually tailored and evidence-based therapy for those who need it, Survivor Scotland has it spot-on.
Russell Vallance,
4 West Douglas Drive, Helensburgh.
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