Lobbying Strategy
F.A.C.T. has a well developed lobbying strategy which can be summarised as follows:-
VALUES:
Promoting the indivisibility of justice – for those who suffer child abuse and those who are falsely accused of child abuse.
THEME:
The right of the innocent to be heard and to be cleared.
AIM:
Reform of the Child Protection System’s abuse investigation and criminal trial procedures
MEANS:
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A Royal Commission into past child abuse investigations, prosecutions and convictions
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An Early Day Motion (EDM) to Parliament (this is necessary to make Members of Parliament aware of the need for a Royal Commission and reforming Legislation.
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Legislation to apply reforms, relating to child abuse cases, to the Child Protection and Criminal Justice Systems
CONCERNS NEEDING TO BE ADDRESSED:
Questions to be asked
Effectiveness
To what extent are the Child Protection System and Criminal Justice System effective in; sifting of true from false allegations of abuse, providing objective investigation, weighing the evidential reliability of testimony, and ensuring the safeguard of a fair trial?
Methodology of investigators
Presumption of veracity of allegations, confirmatory bias, therapeutic jurisprudence, trawling, anonymity, witness statements and police questioning, unorthodox investigation methods, presumption of paedophile ‘rings’.
Evidential reliability
Progressive disclosure, compensation inducements, flawed scientific and clinical testimony, motives, corroboration standards.
Experts and therapists
Training, education, knowledge base, unproven psychological theories, beliefs in satanic ritual abuse.
True extent and nature of abuse
Statistics, influences.
INTENDED OUTCOMES
To make government, administrators and all relevant bodies aware that current investigation, prosecution and trial procedures in child abuse trials are leading to wholesale miscarriages of justice.
To make the child protection system, the criminal justice system and the family courts aware of the growing public disquiet over the many wrongful convictions and rulings arising from false allegations of child abuse.
To improve legal safeguards against prosecutions on insufficient evidence in child abuse cases leading to unfair trials and wrongful convictions.