|
 http://www.act.org.nz/item.jsp?id=24872
ACT Party:
Press Release
October 22, 2003
False Claims Ruin Lives
Heather Roy
Sexual abuse claims must be investigated thoroughly said Heather Roy, ACT’s
spokesman for ACC.
Confirmation from Minister Ruth Dyson, that sexual abuse claimants
who ‘discover’ they have not been abused after all may not have to pay back
the taxpayer funded compensation they received from ACC, highlights a system
fraught with loopholes. At the moment accusations are taken at face value and
large sums of money handed over.
As expected the return to ACC lump sum payments for sexual abuse has seen a
proliferation of claims. Now that it is not necessary to prove sexual abuse
or name the abuser the incentive to make a false claim has increased.
Lynley Hood’s book A City Possessed
clearly outlines the case of a girl who described sexual abuse to, as she
admits, get attention. She was strongly encouraged in her claim for
compensation by a psychologist and only started being harassed by the
psychology profession when she started to tell the truth.
ACT says that sexual abuse claims must be investigated thoroughly in the
first place to prevent such situations arising.
Genuine sexual abuse ruins lives but false, unsubstantiated claims ruin the
lives of innocent people who never recover from them,” said Mrs Roy.
Heather Roy MP
[email protected]
Phone:04 470 6631
Fax:04 473 3532
Sue Ryan, Press Secretary
[email protected]
Phone:04 470 6643 / 027 279 2437
|
