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Justice out of Balance for Children and Young People and Child 4. See http://www.aao.org/aao/news/release/ Guardian, Barry Salmon; NSW Minister for 20030807.cfm. 7 Community Services (Child Protection), 5. For more on the British GMC Meadow hear- sadly lacking for some sick children and their mothers. If governments and society want to Carmel Tebbutt. ing of 18 December 2003, see http://www.gmc- encourage women to have children, they uk.org/news/current/Meadows%20Statement. will need to change. We are facing many About the Author: htm. In a telephone conversation, the BGMC new illnesses in the 21st century, many of — ‘ylichael Nott is a former radio and TV journal CoMfirmed that the hearing will now be in 2005. which are related to environmental toxins jst and a senior media/communications officer 6. Royal Statistical Society (RSS). 3 parober / and drugs. These need to be addressed ina for Australian federal and state (NSW and <7)! At Dit: twww.1ss.org.ubdarehive/evidence: oe , , index.html; also see Letter from the President of humane : and Just manner. In many Queensland) government departments and the RSS to the Lord Chancellor regarding the respects, it is not happening now. agencies including NSW Police. He is an noe " f h d of h use of statistical evidence in court cases, 23 We need to reverse the "witch-hunt advocate for mothers accused of munchausen January 2002, at http://www.rss.org.uk/archive/ trend and stop persecuting anxious mothers syndrome by proxy. While actual case studies evidence/sc_letter.html. and children on the "religious heresy" of of mothers and children have not been pre- 7. British Medical Journal 327:305, 9 August some authority figures driven by bigotry sented, the issues and circumstances faced by 9993, who are persecuting and punishing women them are drawn from the many conversations, The Times, London, 9 August 2004. for challenging their professional powers. he has had with mothers accused of mun- 9, The Guardian, 14 July 2004, at chausen syndrome by proxy as well as with — http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/ °° their families. He can be contacted by email —0,3604,1260765,00.html. . . at nott_michael@yahoo.com.au. 10. BBC News, 17 June 2004, at Author's Note: a http://news.bbe.co.uk/ I/hi/uk/3814813.stm. Quotes and responses from individuals, Endnotes 11. The British GMC's Southall determination departments and agencies named in this arti- 1. Meadow, R., "Munchausen Syndrome by of 6 August 2004 is at http://www.gmc-uk.org/ cle are sourced from telephone conversations Proxy, The Hinterland of Child Abuse", The probdocs/decisions/pec/2004/ and email discussions conducted by this paneer (1977) 310(8033):343. SOUTHALL_20040806.htm. author primarily between July and August 9, For more information, visit Dr Helen 12. RACP website, http://www.racp.edu.au. 2004. Interviews and comments were — Hayward-Brown's website at 13. International Society for the Prevention of requested with the following people, but they http://www.pnc.com.au/~heleneli/. Child Abuse and Neglect (ISPCAN) website, declined to respond: Australian Federal 3, pr Terry Donald's presentation, "Fabricated http://www. ispcan.org. Families Minister, Senator Kay Patterson; and induced illness by carers", is at 14. Australian Institute of Health and Welfare Australian Federal Children's Minister, Larry — http://www.racp.edu.au/asm/asm2004/ (AIHW) website, http://www.aihw.gov.au/ Anthony; Queensland Acting Commissioner — program_paed.htm. publications/cws/cpa02-03/index.html. for Children and Young People and Child Guardian, Barry Salmon; NSW Minister for Community Services (Child Protection), Carmel Tebbutt. 5 ackino for « cia . , for Children and Young People and Child sadly lacking for some sick children and Guardian, Barry Salmon; NSW Minister for their mothers. . Community Services (Child Protection), If governments and society want to Qgrmel Tebbutt. encourage women to have children, they will need to change. We are facing many About the Author: new illnesses in the 21st century, many of Michael Nott is a former radio and TV journal- which are related to environmental toxins __ gt and a senior media/communications officer and drugs. These need to be addressed ina for Australian federal and state (NSW and humane and just manner. In many Queensland) government departments and respects, it is not happening now. agencies including NSW Police. He is an We need to reverse the "witch-hunt" advocate for mothers accused of munchausen trend and stop persecuting anxious mothers syndrome by proxy. While actual case studies and children on the "religious heresy" of of mothers and children have not been pre- some authority figures driven by bigotry sented, the issues and circumstances faced by who are persecuting and punishing women them are drawn from the many conversations for challenging their professional powers he has had with mothers accused of mun- ging protess Powers. chausen syndrome by proxy as well as with their families. He can be contacted by email at nott_michael@yahoo.com.au. Author's Note: — ey Author's Note: Quotes and responses from individuals, departments and agencies named in this arti- cle are sourced from telephone conversations and email discussions conducted by this author primarily between July and August 2004. Interviews and comments were requested with the following people, but they declined to respond: Australian Federal Families Minister, Senator Kay Patterson; Australian Federal Children's Minister, Larry Anthony; Queensland Acting Commissioner Endnotes 1. Meadow, R., "Munchausen Syndrome by Proxy, The Hinterland of Child Abuse", The Lancet (1977) 310(8033):343. 2. For more information, visit Dr Helen Hayward-Brown's website at http://www.pnc.com.au/~heleneli/. 3. Dr Terry Donald's presentation, "Fabricated and induced illness by carers", is at http://www.racp.edu.au/asm/asm2004/ program_paed.htm. NEXUS +77 OCTOBER — NOVEMBER 2004 www.nexusmagazine.com