The first I was aware of was through a couple of emails, one from a friend with a cut and paste version of the media statement & then, the latest Blogpost from Kyle MacDonald - "Off the Couch - Light at the end of the tunnel?"
Reading through this I also checked online and read the ACC Media Release on Scoop entitled "Extra support for sexual abuse survivors", but printed it off and went and sat down outside for a few minutes to read it properly, and digest WHAT IT ALL REALLY MEANS. (with the beginning of suspicious feelings at the use of the words "Provides Extra Support", when in fact there has been NO support for many months, does 'Extra' = 'drop in the proverbial bucket of crisis', AND is this a seemingly predictable National PR action of take everything away/threaten or action worse case scenario AND THEN once the terror of it all with time has sunk in, the 'HANDOUT' (pittance) is so gratefully received that 'The People' only see this 'White Knight Approach' to a big old dragon actually created by the Knight in the first place)
Firstly, and thankfully, that someone walking into a Counselor's/Treatment Provider's office, either through self-referral or through something like a GP or Hospital or even Victim Support referral, 'New Claimants/Victims' CAN GET IMMEDIATE HELP; This is a GOOD thing.. They will be able to see someone without having to wait weeks for 'Assessment' with nothing, and they WILL be able to make an appointment for the next week, and KNOW that it will be a subsidised appointment. Something that's been heavy in my heart through all of this is the people who have been raped last week, yesterday, or next week, or now need (cause it's always a 'need', trust me when it's not a 'want') to deal with their past trauma ARE ABLE TO GET IMMEDIATE assistance.
It was after popping on to Twitter this morning, that I suddenly felt enraged with some of the tweets I was seeing (not at the tweeter's themselves!), with the feeling that perception might be swayed that it's all on the mend, when that is not quite the case at all, YET. It was tweets like the following:
@NZStuff ACC reverses funding cuts for sexual abuse victims http://bit.ly/9XHdoN
@3NewsNZ Rape Prevention group welcomes ACC u-turn http://ow.ly/18x0lc
@TVNZNews ACC reverses funding cuts for sex victims: Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) has backed down on fu... http://bit.ly/aURVuG #TVNZ News
@newsnz ACC reverses funding cuts for sex victims: Accident Compensation Corporation (ACC) has backed down on funding cuts... http://bit.ly/atvrTw
All of the above would LEAD ME (if I didn't know better) to think Everything Is Going To Be Ok With ACC Sensitive Claims Now. Phew! The People can relax.
IF THIS IS THE BEGINNING of a 'turn-around' with the Review Panel's Statement, Influence and Report coming in September heralding Serious Changes and Healing, then Bravo. (Click here for official Statement from Review Panel)
BUT what I propose and suspect to be the ACTUAL TRUTH around what is occurring is ACC (and in essence the National Party and Nick Smith) are scrambling for cover with the intitial report of the Review Panel's 'Concerns' and are offering an Option which is in fact the Same Option that was proposed by the Minister of 16 Subsidised Sessions when all this life & death Po-lava began last year.
We must not forget in our gratitude for this 'hand out' such realities as:
Real reasons for change in abuse claims policy.
Sunday, 22 November 2009, 12:40 pm
Press Release: New Zealand Association of Counsellors
Press Statement from the New Zealand Association of Counsellors 21:11:09
"ACC comes clean about real reasons for change in Sexual Abuse Claims Policy
ACC Southern Manager Karen Walsh, speaking at Fairlie Lions Club on Thursday 19 November revealed that it is ACC policy to reduce the number of Sensitive Claims" ... (click title link to read on for the details)
OR to QUICKLY TRUST ONE MEDIA RELEASE from THE SAME ORGANISATION that brought us:
Enhancing ACC support for sexual abuse survivors
Friday, 16 October 2009, 4:28 pm Press Release: ACC
ACC Media Release 16 October 2009
"Enhancing ACC support for survivors of sexual abuse with a mental injury
• Changes reflect four years’ work aimed at improving client outcomes
• ACC committed to working with sector to implement, review and refine changes
• New approach reflects evidence-based, best practice
From 27 October 2009, ACC will introduce some changes to enhance the way it manages sensitive claims – that is, claims for mental injury resulting from sexual abuse or sexual assault.
“The changes will initially apply to new claims only, and are designed to build on the level of care, understanding and support we currently provide to all clients who have survived the trauma of sexual abuse or assault but have a resulting mental injury,” says ACC’s Chief Executive, Dr Jan White." (click title link if you would like to read on and get to the real juicy stuff)...
However, (and I will be brief here, because I don't want to dilute the above)then I needed to work out what it meant for me, after the last 10 months I've learnt to be very careful indeed in paying attention to ACC Wording. What it means for me and many more 'like me' is TOUGH LUCK at the moment, just keep waiting out in the cold basically (and it's basically hailing golf-ball sized hailstones out there now). Call me skeptical, wary OR CALL ME A VICTIM (trying to Survive) OF MULTIPLE SEXUAL VIOLENT ATTACKS WITH PROVABLE DIAGNOSED PTSD THAT HAS BEEN THE VICTIM OF ACC'S DISRESPECT AND NEGLECT NOW FOR OVER 10 MONTHS, WITHOUT ANY OPTION OF SUBSIDISED CARE WHILE AT TIMES BEGGING FOR HELP.
Please consider that when you read the ACC Media Release by ACC involving
Ms Denise Cosgrove
"ACC sex abuse claims 'badly handled'"
And finally, in the midst of all the seemingly oh-so-positive spin on the ACC Sensitive Claims announcements, it was somewhat of a relief to read the following article to know it wasn't just me that is seeing through the cracks.
National Still Victimising Sexual Abuse Victims 11 August 2010
Media Statement by Lynne Pillay:
"National still victimising sexual abuse victims
The National Government’s decision to partially back down on a failed cost cutting programme that denied sexual abuse survivors access to counselling doesn’t go far enough, Labour Victims Rights spokesperson Lynne Pillay says." ...(please click the title link to read the WHOLE article, it is VERY enlightening)
Just a girl, in the world, worried for herself and her future.
I am trying to keep up to date with media reports and press releases as they come out on my blog http://theswampreport.blogspot.com if it helps :)
ReplyDeleteWow, thanks for posting all this. I have been swamped with emails for the last two days with people telling me about all these statements. Gee the report hasn't even been released yet and the impact of it is rippling through ACC. Not a good day to be Dr. Jansen or Denise Consgrove today a?
ReplyDeleteNick Smith is a bit of a joke though, like he didn't know what was happening....we all told him a long with ACC. As the Minister of ACC he is just as responsible as Peter Jansen and co.
I don't really know how long all these changes he talks about will take but they surely can't make anymore of a balls up with the SCU than they have made in the past year.
Thanks again Dan for this and also to Annelise for her great blog too.
I don't trust it one iota!
ReplyDeleteHow can I be the support person for one such victim "going through the process" and the next day say, oh, it's okay Nick, mistakes easily made... actually on that note, I wish I could feel some compassion for Peter Jansen being Nick Smith's fallout guy but, gee, I can't be bothered really.
As they say, it ain't over till the fat lady sings and since all this crap started, I'm eating like a pig possessed...
I was going to keep this rant to myself, but since Danielle has pretty much what I will say... here it is.
ReplyDeleteThis comment is my own opinion of the government’s actions and is in no way meant to offend anyone including ardent National supporters and some of their MPs. I sincerely hope National prove my scepticism wrong and for all those affected by this governments ignorant policy stay in there the right decision will come out of this soon enough.
It is good to see ACC and National have made a change to their Sensitive Claims policy for (hopefully) the better and more progress is to come.
I would like to state that I blame National for the majority of this mess, but some senior ACC staff are not clean either. No doubt there are some great ACC staff now stuck with what they have (not) been given to work with. However my opinion maybe tainted because I am a Labour/Greens supporter??
Danielle, you are right to remain sceptical. National/ACC need to do a LOT more to repair the damage they have done. I honestly believe National are making these (and other) cuts so they can privatise ACC (again). It never worked the first time and that is why it is in such a mess now. If it was for straight cost cutting I am sure there are better ways to save money. I know from personal experience government organisations can tend to haemorrhage money.
However the mining of the national parks issue has shown that National are still scared of public opinion and will back down... eventually. I know it is difficult, but if enough support for a change is given they will have to relent. They want their second term when they can do (sell) stuff.
Lastly, Danielle and all those others who have documented what has been happening you have done a brilliant job, keep it up. People like me would have never known the full extent of the Governments meddling and what a survivor is up against on their way to recovery.
This is directed at Danielle, but could be expanded to encompass everyone who are affected by ACCs policy changes. I truly admire your courage and determination and although times are tough stay strong and safe. People are out there who care about you and want you to ‘get better’ and live a normal and productive life.
Keep up the good work with this blog and take care