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ACC system ‘is failing rape survivors’

Bridie Witton bridie.witton@stuff.co.nz

Rape survivors are being denied longer-term mental health support from ACC because they may have experienced other traumatic events, such as domestic violence, Green Party MP Jan Logie says.

ACC’s sensitive claims process determines if a person is eligible for longer-term cover through an assessment which includes working out whether their mental injury is a result of the abuse.

‘‘We know that the system is really failing our survivors at the moment,’’ said Logie, who is her party’s ACC spokeswoman.

‘‘Part of the assessment is people having to prove that they are able to pinpoint that mental injury was caused by the sexual violence.

‘‘There are people who have had their claims for ongoing support after rape declined because they had experienced family violence as a child. ‘‘It is deeply offensive.’’

ACC figures show only 32 per cent of the 10,335 sensitive claims were accepted last year – with many survivors dropping out of the system. Of those who went through with the process, 91 per cent had their claims accepted.

ACC is also facing unprecedented demand, with claims increasing by about 20 per cent each year. Nearly 80 per cent of all sensitive claims are lodged by women.

Logie said the system was not designed to support survivors and she is calling for the Government to ditch the requirement for a lengthy assessment to access long-term mental health support.

Once a survivor has used up to 14 hours of free therapy, they then have to sit down with a new clinician and go through ‘‘every single potentially and definitely traumatic event in their life’’, she said.

‘‘They get no control over the timing of those disclosures, about being able to pace themselves, it is like this intense concentrated exposure of trauma.’’

Many of the free counselling sessions go towards preparing the survivor for the assessment, and Logie said she had heard from survivors, therapists and ACC assessors who wanted the system to change.

‘‘The point of all of this is for survivors to get the support to heal.

‘‘We should design the process to do that. Somebody coming forward for counselling, I think, is a sign that they need help.’’

The Green Party has launched a petition urging ACC to remove the need for an assessment.

ACC chief customer officer Emma Powell said the organisation was aware the decision to seek support could be significant for survivors and was always looking to improve the client experience.

ACC had changed the process in 2014, after input from therapists and survivors.

‘‘It removed barriers to help ensure equitable access and choice, consistency across New Zealand and to move to a high trust way of working with providers and suppliers,’’ she said.

A survivor can get up to 14 hours of therapy, 10 hours of social work and 20 hours of whānau support before they can complete a supported assessment for cover and entitlements in relation to their mental injury.

Longer-term cover may include further therapy for as long as was required, she said. ‘‘Clients can access up to 48 hours of one-to-one therapy per year plus group counselling, social work and whānau sessions,’’ she said.

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2021-11-27T08:00:00.0000000Z

2021-11-27T08:00:00.0000000Z

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