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Post by muggins on Jan 16, 2014 17:08:59 GMT 7
How many points can I get for Clergy Institutional child abuse?
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Post by Banjo on Jan 16, 2014 18:23:32 GMT 7
The points cover the type and severity of mental illness rather than the cause.
It's a terrible thing to say but someone who wrecked their brain with drugs or alcohol stands as much chance of qualifying.
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Post by muggins on Jan 16, 2014 18:34:18 GMT 7
Thanks for the advice. This is the angle I shall take when I appeal my inevitable dsp cancellation. |
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Post by Banjo on Jan 16, 2014 18:53:31 GMT 7
I believe there are groups that support people who have suffered your type of abuse, I'm sure you are aware of them but maybe they could help with legal representation.
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Post by muggins on Jan 16, 2014 19:19:52 GMT 7
I believe there are groups that support people who have suffered your type of abuse, I'm sure you are aware of them but maybe they could help with legal representation.
That's something I haven't thought of before, I shall investigate further.
I'm already receiving counselling and I'm on medication.
Very worried about losing the pension. |
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Post by aussieinusa on Mar 11, 2014 7:51:53 GMT 7
Sorry for the late reply; only just saw this thread. muggins, at the very least, get a Medicare referral to a psychologist from your GP. If the abuse you suffered is still effecting you (and frankly, if effects most of us in one way or another for the rest of our lives), there's a high chance they'll diagnose you with PTSD, depression, dissociative disorder, anxiety disorder, agoraphobia, or one of the other recognised mental health conditions that are known to be caused/triggered by extreme childhood trauma. It's having one of those conditions that could qualify you for DSP, not the abuse itself. Some psychologists will bulk bill you with a Medicare referral. Others will charge a relatively small gap if they know you're a pensioner. It's limited to 10 sessions, but that should be enough for them to make a strong assessment. Also: there are Victims of Crime compensation funds in each state, which might be able to help you. Additionally, depending on which church it was, many of them do make hush up payments to people molested by their employees. A first consult with a lawyer about it is free (though you have to remind them of that; they 'forget') and they'll tell you if it's worth pursuing. I'm really sorry to hear you're yet another of us who's been through that. The churches have a lot to answer for. |
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Post by Denis-NFA on Mar 12, 2014 3:17:33 GMT 7
and I would add to what aussieinusa so excellently said, just tell your GP that you think you need to go on a "Mental Health Plan". |
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Post by muggins on Mar 12, 2014 4:26:50 GMT 7
Thank-you for all your heart-warming advice guys.
I have been seeing a counsellor now for a while, this issue is under control. And just to add that the abuse was nowhere near as extreme as other care-leavers that you may have seen or read about in the media.
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Post by aussieinusa on Apr 1, 2014 11:44:00 GMT 7
Thank-you for all your heart-warming advice guys. I have been seeing a counsellor now for a while, this issue is under control. And just to add that the abuse was nowhere near as extreme as other care-leavers that you may have seen or read about in the media. Good to hear you're doing OK and getting the help you need, muggins. You don't have to be the 'most extreme' case to be effected by it later, though; that's one of the myths that's used to hush us up. "Oh, you were only [insert dismissive term], it's not that bad, stop feeling sorry for yourself and go away." Or "Oh, they didn't mean anything by it, why are you still going on about this?" Etc. Etc. The way the trauma was handled at the time has a huge influence on whether you develop PTSD or other mental health issues long-term -- and being told to shut up and go away (instead of being allowed to process the trauma at the time) is one of the things that makes us more likely to have long-term issues. As does the degree of trust you had for the person who molested you; if a 'bad' stranger harms you and everyone rallies around to help, make sure you're OK and bring them to justice promptly, statistically you're much less likely to wind up with PTSD, even if it was 'severe' abuse. (Which isn't to say that nobody does, just that the % of people who do is lower.) If it's a 'good' person who you trusted deeply and you were disbelieved and hushed up, statistically you're much more likely to wind up with PTSD even if it was 'mild' abuse. So ignore the media's focus on the exact physical acts that took place. The breech of trust and the degree to which your sense of right and wrong / good and evil / a fair and just world was destroyed by what happened to you are just as important. For some reason, the church especially downplay the fact that, due to clergy being held up as exemplars of 'good' in the world and the degree of trust we're meant to invest in them, even a 'minor' physical violation can literally turn your sense of the world completely inside out and upside down. There's much more to the violation of sexual abuse than just what was done to your body. |
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