WEAPONIZATION OF SEXUAL ABUSE "ALLEGATIONS"

It breaks my heart, no, more than that, it devours my soul to see at the very highest levels of our society the institutional and political weaponization of Sexual Abuse “Allegations” in both the internal and external conduct, and in the investigation and prosecution, of the Garda Síochána “Whistleblower” case. The belligerent use of this very specific type of allegation more often results in a distortion of, or distraction from, the “Truth” that if the practice continues to be perpetuated it will undermine everything that as a society we hope to achieve.

On a daily basis, as a forensic sexual assault examiner for children, I am confronted by this “Weaponization” of Sexual Abuse allegations, where children and child victims are further compromised by warring adult parties involving them, sometimes coercing them, to take sides in disintegrating relationships. As a consequence, there is enormous additional collateral damage, and in particular the “Truth” is either obscured or adulterated, with an extreme consequence of failing to address the individual child victim’s needs, and in particular ensuring the effective protection from, and prosecution of, actual perpetrators of sexual abuse.

We, as examiners, strive every day to be witnesses to that “Truth” only to now have that struggle, that determination, undermined by the obnoxious behaviour of the exemplars of our justice and political systems in the pursuit of their own agendas, utilizing such allegations as destructive ordnance.

In addition to the damage it is causing to our type of service, it is also betraying the enormous dedication, professionalism and caring of individual Garda Síochána dealing with child sexual abuse with whom we come in contact with in the course of our duties, and ultimately will undermine the prosecution of “real” perpetrators in our adversarial court system.

This weaponization must stop, or we all become victims, without any hope of redress, without any hope. Period!