New Booklet launched in Scotland for Abuse Survivors

A new booklet for frontline workers to help inform them of the issues faced by adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse has recently been launched in Scotland. The booklet ‘A Can of Worms – Working with Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse’ is designed to encourage staff to feel more confident when working with adult survivors who disclose abuse. The booklet is part of the the Scottish Parliament’s Cross Party Group on Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse, which resulted in the introduction of a national strategy for adult survivors in September 2005.

I have looked through the booklet to see whether or not it acknowledges the fact that sometimes, exaggerated and false allegations of abuse are made, and to what it extent it accepts that professionals may unwittingly induce false allegations to be made.

Somewhat depressingly the booklet  (pages 10 and 22) are dismissive of these possibilities and to the waves of media publicity given to false memory syndrome. One might have hoped with Scotland’s history of child abuse investigations that a more balanced and accurate picture might emerge.