The Herald
Saturday 15 December 2001
Page A22
Psychology standards
The botched inquiry by
psychologist Prue Vincent (Dec 4) into a sex abuse case is just one of many.
She has destroyed an entire family, yet is merely fined lightly and censured.
The Psychologists Board could de-register her but, as it has shown in the past,
it lacks the courage to act. That she is still allowed to practice is
scandalous.
Her methods and findings are typical of the sex abuse industry. Confirm this by
remembering the Peter Ellis case, the tens of thousands of ACC claimants, men
wrongly denied access to families, and the man to whom we recently paid over
half a million dollars in compensation for wrongful conviction. These cases
were based on allegations resulting from counselling, but unsupported by
credible evidence.
The label "sex abuser" is the most loathsome in our society. There is
no excuse for its wrongful application. It is high time psychologists and
counsellors were required to comply with acceptable evidential standards.
Anything less is indefensible. Assumption, opinion and belief are simply not
good enough. They must be made fully accountable for their work
Gordon Waugh
Whenuapai