Post by Banjo on Dec 11, 2011 15:47:17 GMT 7
Outrage at a Centrelink abuse survey in $5 million taxpayer-funded study
CENTRELINK customers are being quizzed on everything from drug use to sexual abuse as part of a $5 million taxpayer-funded study that is leaving many humiliated and distressed.
The study of 1600 people by Roy Morgan researchers, has outraged family and domestic violence groups.
Researchers visit a claimant's home and pay them $40 for the wide-ranging interview, in which they are asked about drug use and whether they suffered sexual assault or domestic abuse.
The researchers receive two days' training to tackle the complicated and sensitive survey questions.
One interviewer, who did not wish to be named, said some respondents had become distressed at the questions.
The researcher said others reported grown men breaking down in tears.
She said researchers had not received adequate training, and felt she was opening a "Pandora's box" of emotional problems, only to then walk away."I hated it," she said.
"I had ethical problems with asking those sorts of questions because it was not in counselling or therapeutic relationship."
She said a 15-year-old girl was interviewed about sexual and domestic abuse in front of her mother, while another respondent's partner was present during the interview.
Although the survey is voluntary and the respondent can quit at any time, the researcher said many seemed to feel obliged to complete it and that some interviewers pressured them to take part in order to reach their quota.
Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse director Gaby Marcus said recalling abuse could be traumatic. Interviewers needed to have counselling backgrounds or be "extremely well trained".
But Journeys Home project director Professor Mark Wooden said the survey had been very successful with a very high response rate and about 95 per cent of respondents agreeing to continue in the two-year study.
He said only four instances had arisen where people had needed help and all had been dealt with.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Families, Housing Community Services and Indigenous Affairs said people were randomly selected from Centrelink files to participate and privacy was protected because none of the agency' staff were able to link all types of data. She said participation was voluntary.
www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/outrage-at-a-centrelink-abuse-survey-in-5-million-taxpayer-funded-study/story-e6freuy9-1226218991553
CENTRELINK customers are being quizzed on everything from drug use to sexual abuse as part of a $5 million taxpayer-funded study that is leaving many humiliated and distressed.
The study of 1600 people by Roy Morgan researchers, has outraged family and domestic violence groups.
Researchers visit a claimant's home and pay them $40 for the wide-ranging interview, in which they are asked about drug use and whether they suffered sexual assault or domestic abuse.
The researchers receive two days' training to tackle the complicated and sensitive survey questions.
One interviewer, who did not wish to be named, said some respondents had become distressed at the questions.
The researcher said others reported grown men breaking down in tears.
She said researchers had not received adequate training, and felt she was opening a "Pandora's box" of emotional problems, only to then walk away."I hated it," she said.
"I had ethical problems with asking those sorts of questions because it was not in counselling or therapeutic relationship."
She said a 15-year-old girl was interviewed about sexual and domestic abuse in front of her mother, while another respondent's partner was present during the interview.
Although the survey is voluntary and the respondent can quit at any time, the researcher said many seemed to feel obliged to complete it and that some interviewers pressured them to take part in order to reach their quota.
Australian Domestic and Family Violence Clearinghouse director Gaby Marcus said recalling abuse could be traumatic. Interviewers needed to have counselling backgrounds or be "extremely well trained".
But Journeys Home project director Professor Mark Wooden said the survey had been very successful with a very high response rate and about 95 per cent of respondents agreeing to continue in the two-year study.
He said only four instances had arisen where people had needed help and all had been dealt with.
A spokeswoman for the Department of Families, Housing Community Services and Indigenous Affairs said people were randomly selected from Centrelink files to participate and privacy was protected because none of the agency' staff were able to link all types of data. She said participation was voluntary.
www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/outrage-at-a-centrelink-abuse-survey-in-5-million-taxpayer-funded-study/story-e6freuy9-1226218991553