Group rejects therapy by victims

THE Irish Survivors of Child Abuse group (SOCA) said last night it does not support any counselling provided by victims to other victims.

SOCA was responding to claims that the Department of Health had concerns about the “abused counselling the abused.”

The One in Four group assists people who were sexually abused as children and it is run by people who were themselves victims of abuse.

The group has insisted it employs professionally qualified therapists, however, the organisation will receive 25% less funding from the Department of Health this year.

One in Four director Colm O’Gorman wants the Department to clarify its position on abuse counselling.

However, SOCA said it only supports counselling provided by independent specialists.

“We believe victims recovering from sexual abuse are best served when only receiving counselling from highly trained independent specialists,” said SOCA co-ordinator John Kelly. “There is not enough evidence to show there is any benefit by the patient treating the patient and this practice may actually prolong the trauma of the victim.”

SOCA claims it has received complaints from victims who underwent therapy with a counsellor who was once abused. “Many victims have expressed concerns that allowing the abused to counsel the abused compounds their suffering,” said Mr Kelly.

He also wants the funding of all groups providing this counselling to be stopped immediately. “It should be made clear to those who were abused and who now have the qualifications to provide counselling that they should enter the market place like any other therapist offering their services,” said Mr Kelly.