The SAID Victim - What They Learn
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In time the falsely accused become knowledgeable on true child abuse and its
many forms: psychological, physical, prenatal, selling, and sexual. It is in
this phase that SAID Victims realize the full extent of the two related 
ocial
problems and that other professionals in the mental health community have
widely different opinions on the accusations issue.
New names and material is read on true sexual child abuse as the falsely
accused learns of their concerns: Dr. Gene Abel, Cordelia Anderson, Lucy
Berliner, Angela Brown, Dr. Donald C. Bross, Dr. Ann W. Burgess, Dr. Jon
R. Conte, Dr. David Finkelhor, Dr. A. Nicholas Groth, Dr. Astrid Heger,
Dr. Judith L. Herman, Jan Hindman, Linda L. Holmstrom, Fay H. Knopp, Dr.
Richard D. Krugman, Kee MacFarlane, Mary McQuiston, Ann Seig, Dr. Suzanne
M. Sgroi, Dr. Frances Sink, Dr. Roland C. Summit, Dr. Sue White, Dr. Bruce
Woodling, and many others.
True SAID Victims, and victims of other false accusations, often acquire 
arge
amounts of resource material on child abuse and allegations of child abuse.
Such material may be defined as any type of information created by any 
ndivi-
dual or group of individuals who express concern on the two related subjects.
The use of computers to manage extensive amounts of data is valuable in cate-
gorizing information, noting trends, analyzing statistics, and correlating
names and topics.
It appears that one segment of the mental health community offered few or no
opinions on the accusations issue until February 1988 when the American Bar
Association published "SEXUAL ABUSE ALLEGATIONS IN CUSTODY AND VISITATION
CASES: A Resource Book for Judges and Court Personnel". This is based on a
chronological review of the resource material on child abuse & allegations of
child abuse from 1929 to the present.  The review, as well as the background
for this paper, included over 950 selections representing more than 5,000
pages of material.
The schism in the mental health community is evident as one reads the pro-
fessional material, with the titles and subject matter primarily defining the
writers position on child abuse and allegations of child abuse.  As is common
in the professions, researchers report on their findings, comment on, and
reference the prior work of others.  It is easy for anyone however to see how
those in this community have reacted to the accusations issue.  Their own
material shows these individuals so divided that they trade professional 
arbs
across the boundary that separates the two sides.  More often than not they
fail to acknowledge the findings of others within their own discipline, and
when they do, those works with opposing views (often on the same topic of
concern) are either dismissed, downplayed, or strongly criticized.
Quite often the references in these papers continually cite the same indivi-
duals who share and support the beliefs and opinions of the writer. One seg-
ment is more guilty in doing this than the other.  One author cited material
on the accusations issue from another segment of the mental health community
as "one body of psychological literature".
At times the accusations issue within this community appears somewhat an-
alogous to a husband-wife argument where whomever gets in the last word is
"right". The last word being the most recently published paper in whatever
prestigious journal published it.  These individuals are at the top of the
mental health profession and are not those employed in local mental health
centers, county or state social service agencies, rape crisis centers, or
woman's shelters.
If one reads enough material generated by the entire mental health community
it is evident there are many authorities on child abuse and allegations of
child abuse, specifically sexual child abuse.  However, the actions of these
professionals, along with some common sense, tells the falsely accused layman
that with so much internal conflict the profession has removed itself from
being called authoritative and raises the question as to whether there are 
ny
true "experts".  The 1986 Minnesota Attorney General's Task Force On Child
Abuse Within the Family, as well as more recent resource material, reflects a
national concern on "experts".
Unfortunate as it is the law enforcement, legal, and media professions often
look to the mental health community for guidance.  "Nationally known expert",
"sex abuse expert" and "expert testimony" are frequently seen in resource
material from all disciplines. Consider, for example, the article by Margaret
Cronin Fisk, "Abuse: The New Weapon", that was in The National Law Journal on
July 17, 1989: "Too often in these cases, the lawyer on one side will get ex-
perts to verify that the sexual abuse occurred, and lawyers on the other side
will line up experts to just as firmly refute the allegation".
Consider also the "psychologist" who had "enjoyed a national reputation as an
expert in child custody and abuse cases". The individual practiced as a 
sych-
ologist, had his license revoked, and his doctorate was in philosophy.  He 
o-
authored a paper in the American Bar Associations' "SEXUAL ABUSE ALLEGATIONS
IN CUSTODY AND VISITATION CASES: A Resource Book for Judges and Court Person-
nel". The bottom line is that there are ten's of thousands of authorities on
child abuse in this country, but few true experts.
As concerned parents we are all aware of the child abuse prevention programs
in our schools and communities, the good touch/bad touch books, the Marvel
comic books, and the material available from the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, Big
Brothers/Big Sisters, Parents Anonymous, and other social programs. The 
alse-
ly accused notes that the individuals consulted for these programs, as well 
s
the publications they provide, are mainly from one segment of the mental
health community.
SAID Victims also notice that there are no children's books that portray what
a child, who was never sexual abused, was thinking or feeling as they were
questioned or medically examined. Lawsuits have been filed by falsely accused
individuals on behalf of their children who were in truth psychologically
and/or sexually abused during evaluation procedures.
Because of their concern for true child abuse the falsely accused attends 
on-
ferences and obtains information from past conferences. SAID Victims note who
the speakers were, what workshops were presented, who sponsored and attended
the conference, and what questions were avoided and by who.  The falsely ac-
cused observes trends on child abuse conferences and notices that more often
than not those individuals with beliefs similar to the sponsors become the
invited speakers and workshop presenters, and special interest groups do the
same thing.
>>> End - The SAID Victim, Part 3 of 6: Reid Kimbrough---
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