The Press
December 5, 2001
I am not to blame, says psychologist
NZPA
A psychologist who
was fined and censured for her role in a sex abuse case said she should not be
blamed for a decision made by the courts.
Ms Vincent had fought a newspaper's plans to publish her name.
She said yesterday that the father in the case, who was wrongly accused of
molesting his young children, was "mistaken in believing that I am
responsible for his situation".
The father, who cannot be named to protect the identity of his children,
brought the complaint against Ms Vincent.
"Decisions about the best interests of the children were made by the
Family Court in a series of hearings between 1994 and 1999. I was involved in
two of those hearings," Ms Vincent said.
"... At all times my approach was scrutinised by the court, and was the
subject of rigorous cross- examination at the hearings."
The conduct unbecoming charge covered accusations that she allowed the mother
to be present at interviews with the children, used leading questions and
accepted "without question" the mother's testimony while asking the
father to put his rebuttals in writing.