The British Association of Social Workers is being
sued over inaccurate statements and misrepresentations about the Satanic
Child Abuse Myth.
The litigation has arisen over allegations made during
a meeting of BASW's 60 strong council which was convened to study a special
report produced by the S.A.F.F., an organisation which looks after the rights
of U.K. Witches.
The report, titled "The Satanic Abuse Myth", was the result
of three years research into cases of alleged Satanic Abuse but contained
criticisms that BASW had breached its own code of practice.
In a startling
response, Ms Joy Rees, BASW membership secretary, claimed that the group
which had authored the report were 'racists and fascists who have nothing
in common with members of BASW'.
Ms Rees amazing outburst and opposition
to the report ensured that it was not adopted. Rees was later reported in
Social Work Today as saying that 'she did not want to see BASW used as a
vehicle for a group which failed to respect people's rights.'
Angel a Malham,spokesperson for the S.A.F.F. accused Ms Rees of
"We have over 600 members in
the S.A.F.F. from all walks of life. They are tolerant, liberal individuals
with an intense understanding of the problems minorities suffer. The fact
that they give of their time completely voluntarily to fight for the rights
of oppressed minorities is testimony to the fact that they have altruistic
ideals."
Ms Malham added 'it is particularly nauseating for me to have to
listen to these unprincipled remarks by Joy Rees as my family is Jewish
and my grandparents and immediate family were wiped out by the Nazis during
WWII and I am sensitively aware of the rising tide of Neo-Nazisim in Europe.
". She said.
"Is it any wonder that innocent people were victimised during
the Satanic Abuse Myth when people with influence in social work make enemies
of those whose only intention is to help?"
When asked if she wasn't perhaps over-reacting to the
situation Ms Malham said:
"One only
has to reflect upon the chain of events in previous tragedies to see the
same criteria apply and cause innocent families to be victimised. The public
need to know that there is no failsafe device within social work to protect
them from radical social workers. The Government refuses to act for fear
of the political damage which might ensue, yet until this matter is attended
to activist social workers will continue causing terrible mistakes and tragedies
for innocent families and dragging the reputation of social work through
the mud. More and more it appears that accusations of Satanism are just one
of a stock of justifications which are used by radical social workers to
disguise iniquities in the social work system from public gaze. This litigation
must continue in order to reveal this misuse of power."
"the worst kind of hypocrisy".
"We're neither racists nor fascists" she said, "but Ms Rees remarks seem
to indicate that she feels justified in disenfranchising such people because
they hold unpopular or different beliefs to those she ascribes to. BASW should
tell the public whether it is their policy to urge their 11,000 strong membership
to discriminate against clients who hold such views? ".
The S.A.F.F. maintain
that BASW have not apologised for the prejudicial nature of the remark nor
have they clarified its meaning.
"Social Workers have admitted publicly that
they don't know what they are dealing with when allegations of Satanic Abuse
occur." continued Ms Malham. They have many times appealed for information
and background. When sensational cases fail and their mistakes are criticised
they excuse themselves by pointing out that this is a new area for them and
they are lacking in expertise. They suggest that more research needs to
be done. Yet the moment a knowledgeable group provides them with accurate
and trustworthy information , radicals representing social workers spurn
the facts and defame us because it doesn't fit their prejudices".
Said MsMalham. When asked if she was not simply jumping on the current social-worker
bashing bandwagon Ms Malahm said that the S.A.F.F.'s criticisms were not
of grass-roots social workers.
"Such people do extremely difficult and often
unpleasant job in bone-crunching circumstances which high-flying social-work
theories don't apply. If you ask most grass roots social workers you will
find them as fed up with hair-brained doctrines as the public are. Our complaint
is that the well intentioned reasonable people who actually do the work in
Social Services Departments are being continually manipulated by radicals
who have gained influential positions and who censor the truth to fit their
own prejudices. The Rank and File are being fed with disinformation and simply
don't know what's going on. Their leaders won't let them know. What other
reason was there for censoring our report? "
BASW have been involved with social
workers in a number of Satanic Abuse Cases. It was BASW who funded the legal
costs of Paul Lee the Director of Social Services in the Orkney Inquiry and
the organisation has played a major part in the acceptance by the social
work industry of the idea of Satanic Abuse. Before the S.A.F.F. could ask
for an official apology for Ms Rees remarks they were published and distributed
to BASW members in a newsletter.
"These occurrences ensured that our organisation
was misrepresented to BASW members " Said Ms Malham. "I think the public
should know how unreceptive social work leadership is to outside input despite
their hollow requests for help. The outcome is that BASW has effectively
black-balled our unique information on the Satanic Abuse Myth and kept their
members in the dark. BASW's social worker members will therefore remain ignorant
of the true position, whilst quite possibly causing further Rochdales to
occur. Is this what BASW want?
The S.A.F.F. point to BASW's refusal to admit
their erro r and say that their rush to dig their heels in and refusal to
apologise provides a clear example of how Social Workers end up in conflict
with so many parents. Ms Malham added:
"Leading lights of Social Work continually
bleat about media victimisation of their industry as though they are unfortunate
victims of situations which couldn't be helped. Our experience confirms that
radical social workers are not victims but perpetrators and have a battery
of devices originally intended to assist grass-roots carers to protect children
and others from harm , which the radicals do not think twice about using
in order to subdue opposition and remain in control of the situation even
when they are wrong."
"We went to the leaders of social work with an
honest intent. We have been victimised and stigmatised because our report
criticised some of their decisions. Our organisation can take this in its
stride, but I keep thinking what would have happened had I been a suspect
in a child abuse case and stood up for my rights in the same way?"
The Satanic Ritual
Abuse Myth report can be obtained price 1.99 inclu ding postage, from The
Publications Department, S.A.F.F.
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