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New Zealand Doctor
February 27, 2002
Sexual abuse case drop no surprise
Letter by Ross Ogle
Dr Patrick Kelly, esteemed paediatrician and head of the Child Abuse Team at
Starship Hospital, has been reported in the national media as "puzzled
by the dramatic drop-off in reported sexual abuse of children".
The answer is pretty obvious to the rest of us, at the risk of popping
Patrick's bubble, may I suggest that he in his spare time read A City
Possessed by Lynley Hood, about the Christchurch Civic Creche case and Peter
Ellis. He then may appreciate that it is no coincidence that the rate of
reported sexual abuse dropped when ACC stopped paying people $10,000 for each
case that fertile imaginations could dream up.
The sexual abuse industry laws had a field day inflicting "recovered
memories" on vulnerable individuals. ACC saw the light, turned off the
gravy tap and presto the reporting rate dropped.
In April ACC will once again begin paying lump sums. I hope they will require
the same burden of proof that they demand for other physical injuries. Child
sexual abuse is repugnant to all of us, but so is financially rewarding
wrongful or unproven accusations.
Dr Kelly and his team are doing a fine job, let's not spoil it by creating a
system for fringe operators to abuse.
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