Former APS President Bob Montgomery was sentenced to prison this year for pedophile crimes including anally raping a 12-year-old boy.
Last week, a former NSW deputy Chair of the APS, Craig Myles, was imprisoned for committing similar crimes against male clients as young as 9 while practising as a psychologist.
The current APS President, whom decent Aussie psychs want to see resign, is still madly trying to bury her public display of support for Bob Montgomery after he pleaded guilty to child rape.
Here is the APS President’s her lame response to Myles’ issued to APS members today.
Note that once again, the APS President failed to acknowledge a convicted pedophile psychologist’s leadership position within the APS.
Dear [Member Psychologist]
As psychologists we understand, and we see, the often severe and long-lasting impact of sexual abuse on survivors. Many of us have first-hand professional experience of treating the survivors of sexual abuse.
This week a former psychologist in NSW has been jailed for sexually abusing his clients.
The APS acknowledges the pain and suffering of the victims of his abuse and condemns his abhorrent, predatory behaviour.
Survivors of child sexual abuse have a right to feel safe, validated, and supported by psychologists. The APS stands strongly against such behaviour, and when this behaviour does occur in society, our profession provides healing and support to survivors.
Through the work of the APS Taskforce into Child Sexual Abuse and Psychology, we have an opportunity as a profession to strengthen and reinforce our position on child sexual abuse and to demonstrate our absolute support for victims and survivors.
The Taskforce is currently accepting submissions from APS members. The deadline for submissions has been extended to Friday 18 September 2020.
Submissions can be made via the secure online submissions portal.
Finally, we would like to acknowledge the impact this has on many members who feel grief and shame at having someone in the profession behave in this most objectionable way. This criminal behaviour diminishes our professional standing in the community at a time when so many Australians are in need of our services. His actions may, ultimately, also have indirect consequences on the mental health of other Australians.
As a Society, we will continue our work to support survivors through their recovery, and psychologists in their professional practice.
If you feel that you need to talk to someone about this issue, we remind you to seek appropriate professional support.
If you have any questions or comments, please consider making a submission to the Taskforce, or contact us at taskforce@psychology.org.au.
Yours sincerely
Ros Knight FAPS
APS President