From October 27 ACC is changing its criteria for covering the cost of counseling for survivors of sexual abuse. Under the new criteria, survivors will only be eligible for ACC covered counseling if they have been diagnosed as having a mental injury, as defined by the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders IV.
According to Dr Peter Jansen, ACC clinical director in charge of the proposed changes, “ACC's legislative role is clearly defined. We are only able to assist those who have a diagnosed significant mental injury resulting from the abuse/assault they've suffered,” and the rule change is aimed at bringing ACC practice in line with legislation.
But Dr Kim McGregor, who chairs the tauiwi (Pakeha) section of the National Network Ending Sexual Violence Together, has said that “some counsellors are ethically opposed to using a psychiatric diagnosis for sexual violence.”
Making survivors jump through bureaucratic hoops to get the support they need contributes to the trauma of sexual abuse by further disempowering people who've already been through a traumatic and disempowering experience.
“If my counsellor had told me I needed to see ACC's shrink three times and be diagnosed with a mental condition before I could go to counselling, I would never have gone back,” said one survivor of childhood sexual abuse quoted by the NZ Herald.
There is also concern about the impact that being diagnosed with a mental illness has on people's lives. According to Dr McGregor, “If you have a DSM-IV diagnosis, for example for depression, and you go for a mortgage, and they say, 'Have you ever had a mental illness?' you have to declare that. If you go for a job interview and you're asked, you have to disclose that.”
Louise Nicholas, an advocate for survivors, points out, “Rape and sexual abuse is a crime that is committed upon a person by another person deliberately causing harm. It is not like a self-inflicted recreational or sporting injury”.
This change is clearly a cost cutting measure, the latest in a long list of cuts to public services and attacks on workers' rights. There has been an increase in the number of ACC claims for sexual abuse counseling from 520 a month last year to 650-700 a month since March. It seems that ACC is making it harder for people to access funding for counseling precisely because more people are accessing a public service to which they are entitled.
Another concern is that this change is a move towards cutting all ACC funding for sexual abuse counseling. Dr McGregor has said the new procedure would allow ACC to check with survivors' doctors and employers to assess whether their mental condition could be traced directly to the abuse.
"They will be very likely to find some pre-existing condition or other contributing factors such as stress at work, not getting on with a partner or depression, and will therefore conclude that there is not a clear clinical link between the rape and the mental injury," she said.
Dr Jansen's comment in the media that ACC, “do not cover an event. We provide cover for an injury” also raises concerns. If ACC views rape and sexual abuse as a 'significant life event' rather than an injury, this could be used as a justification for cutting ACC funding for counseling for all survivors.
People around Aotearoa are mobilising against the funding cuts.
There's an information blog at http://notoacc.blogspot.com [1] and a petition you can sign here: http://www.petitiononline.com/ACC0909/petition.html [2]
There is also a facebook group you can join: http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#/group.php?gid=175690473985 [3]
In Auckland, there is an organising meeting on Wednesday October 7, at 6:30pm in the womens' space at Auckland University.
In Wellington, there is a march to ACC's headquarters on Monday October 19. Meet at the Cenotaph at 12:30.
There is also a day of decentralised actions such as leafletting and banner drops on Monday October 12.
Banner painting and leaflet distribution is happening Thursday October 8, from 1 to 4pm at 128 Abel Smith St. There is a meeting to organise the decentralised day of action on Sunday October 11, at 11:45am at 128 Abel Smith St, and another meeting to organise the march on Monday October 12, at 6:30pm, also at 128 Abel Smith St.
