Just What's A Canker Sore
8 years ago
Monday, March 22, 2010
This is the organisation I gave 2 years of my life to. As you can imagine I'm pretty shocked and confused. I believe in it's truth, but wrapping my head around the truth of it is beyond baffling. I knew this man and saw him all the time. I always had my issues with him, but never did I think his abuses of power could translate to something like this.
EDIT:
And now there a couple of follow up articles. If you're interested you can read them here and here.
And here is Derryn Hinch interviewing the victim on the radio.
This was his short response on Facebook:
I wish Derryn Hinch had taken the time to connect with me before publishing the article that appeared in the Sunday Age.
He indicated that he had found it hard to get in touch with me, and yet had been regularly looking at my facebook page. Either he really doesn’t know how technology works or he wasn’t trying very hard. He sent no message via facebook or my e-mail address which is listed on my page. I would have been happy to respond to him.
Derryn’s article yesterday was the first time I have heard these specific allegations and I have got to say I am so relieved. They are so far from the truth that anybody who knows me will know they are over the top.
I am prepared to admit I made mistakes, real ones, but nothing that looks like what was described in the article. The young lady Derryn calls “Sarah” exhibited a range of extreme behaviours that now cause me to wonder if she has a condition known as “Borderline Personality Disorder” (see: www.bpdfamily.com). I freely admit that I did not have the skill I needed to work with this condition which meant that I made a number of errors of judgement and I certainly wish I had done things differently. I have fully disclosed the details of all of this to an independent panel.
In 2006 when I turned 65 I announced even though physically I was ready for retirement I would stay on for another 3 years to support the transition. These circumstances as well as my deteriorating health confirmed that it was time for me to step aside in my leadership of Fusion and hand over to others. I am so proud of the Fusion work and its workers, many of whom are working in some of the toughest communities in Australia and around the world. They continue the Fusion vision of the last 50 years “bringing young people and their communities together with hope.” (www.fusion.org.au)
I sincerely hope that your readers are able to see through an obviously biased story
Yours Sincerely
Mal Garvin.
The responses were mixed and at times baffling and anger inducing. Anyway, if you want to know more, ask me.
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Ugh, why is it that the ones who are the most in the spotlight always seem to fall the hardest? This is... just a tragic and delusional abuse of power. And that poor girl.
It just makes me so angry. We're really reflecting God is the way we live, huh?
I believe Chock is ernest, but confused about something because I know you well enough to know how out of character his wild accusations are.
Why is it so easy for us to discount a life of good at the drop of a hat? Is it because we feel bad not believing a vulnerable young girl? Is it because we still blindly believe things because a journalist said so?
Mr. Garvin's story about borderline personality sounds extremely plausible - I've heard such stories many times before (some within extended family) of people with BPD or similar conditions such as Bipolar Disorder concocting elaborate, detailed stories for whatever reason. Just the kind of people he'd be exposed to.
I'm not saying it isn't true - it well may be - I'm just saying it's disrespectful, especially to a man who has appeared so charitable for so long, to be so ready start digging his grave.
There was a great Season 1 episode of Frontline called Judge and Jury which dealt with this EXACT scenario. It effectively and entertainingly sums up my views.
I knew about this situation a while before that article broke, I only brought it up now coz now it's in the media and public sphere. I certainly wouldn't believe the words of a journo and take the media's word for it. Especially in such a serious case.
Mutt, I don't know the girl accused personally (although I know people who do), so I have no idea if she has borderline personality disorder. What I do know is that Mal is not qualified to make such a diagnosis. And even if he was, it is hugely inappropriate and unethical to attempt to diagnose her on the internet where anyone can read it. It's a breach of privacy if nothing else, as he was her counsellor! All it does in this way is discredit her and reduce her credibility. It casts doubt on her accusations in one of the worst ways, because even if she responded, her response can now be discounted because of a so called 'diagnosis'.
I'm not saying his motive was malicious, because clearly there is no way to determine his reasons for saying such a thing, but either way it's not ok that he said such things.
I guess you know something we don't. (Not sarcasm)
If I was innocent, I would have done exactly the same thing out of desperation. If he were innocent, it's one of the few explanations left.
Although, you're right - I think the whole thing should have been done behind closed doors as now, no matter who is in the right, they'll both lose.
My point was not to disrespect one side or the other till some authority has looked at the evidence. I am just as unwilling to believe his counter-claim yet --> Innocent until proven guilty applies to everyone equally.
---
If you do know more truth to the story, then you're being wise in not revealing it. Please redirect all my comments at Luke and his first comment.
It's a big if, but if he were innocent then there's really only two options. She either has some kind of condition, or she's acting maliciously.
If that is the case, and I of course have no evidence either way, then I don't see a problem. He's either guessing awful close to the mark, or his accusations are kinder than they could have rightly been.
If he's guilty then he's just an all round terrible guy, and fabricating this is AWFUL. No argument there.
I'm just saying until we know more, I don't think we can really judge how unjustified his reaction was.
Surely you can see it from his hypothetically innocent point of view?
Even if he is cleared of all charges, he will never live this down. This could be undeservedly ruining his life, and setting the record straight by giving out the only sensitive explanation available can't be wrong... can it?
She has never lied, exaggerated or mislead me in any way.
Two hundred years ago Mal would have just claimed the devil was possessing her. Since we are getting a bit wiser to these sorts of people, he has gone with BPD.
If Mal has nothing to hide then why not send in the legal eagles. Where is the statement from Fusion dimissing Sarah's claims and defending Mal?
I know people who I trust who know Sarah and are convinced of her truth, so that leans me towards believing the allegations are true.
And as far as I'm aware a lot of Fusion people believe Sarah, not Mal. They aren't dismissing her claims, just certain people are. They aren't a legal system, and Sarah has been to the police, so it's not their place to push the allegations really.
fear not ross, the truth is slowly coming to light and no, these allegations are severly far from the truth
It's all remains very he said, she said.
Had any time for reflection?
What courage it takes to stand alone knowing we may have disappointed many people and yet still have the courage to go on and await the final verdict. How ya doing Derryn?
It was a very tough time and I only went to Derryn Hinch when it became obvious that it was going to be swept under the carpet and Mal was going to be able to continue misusing his power in any way he wanted.
As it's been said, many many people have been hurt my Mal and Fusion. Not just me.
Although I later found out many Fusion people believed me, I didn't know it at the time. While Mal's supporters were more than happy to make very nasty comments to my face and to others, the people who believed me were mostly too distressed or unsure to make contact so I felt very alone.
To clear up some confusion, Mal and Fusion have actually admitted some of the things that happened. I also provided text message transcripts where Mal said a lot of unprovoked inappropriate things - like wanting me to have his baby. Also there was an eye witness to back up some of what I was saying.
So this is a 'fortunate' case where it's not just 'he said, she said'.
I don't have BPD, I have Complex PTSD which can sometimes look a little similar, but the vulnerability and fear attached to that condition is what made the impact of Mal's treatment so much worse. Not something weird that made me make up crazy stories to hurt people I had trusted and loved (in a non-creepy way).
If I was mentally strong and healthy, I would have had a better chance of knowing how to negotiate some safety. He probably wouldn't have approached me in the first place.
I read all this in 2010 and the supportive comments meant so much. It seemed a bit risky to reply at the time, but it's nearly Christmas 2014 now and I'm feeling grateful for a lot of things and wanted to thank some of the people who have helped me get to this point. Life is good now. Take care and I wish you all the very best.
Bowen
I saw at least one other occasion where a married Senior Fusion staffer had a sexual relationship with a homeless young woman. Mal's management of that situation included the organisation hushing the situation up internally and relocating the victim to another region. Mal and Fusion, including myself were naive and frequently took on cases they were not qualified to manage, nativity however is no excuse.
As a former Senior Fusion staffer, please accept my apologies for the abuse you suffered at the movements hands. I believe many Fusion staffers are kind well meaning people, Mal however is little more than an ego maniac who gathered vulnerable people around him to help him feel better about his own fears and anxieties. A fool who still hasn't learnt it's time for him to be silent, seek to have no influence over anyone and try in his final pathetic years to resolve the personal issues that have led to his appealing behaviour.
I found the training really a way of pushing Mals view of things & a recruitment tool for his organisation.We decided not to join...Fusion came to our neck of the woods...have some great people & did awesome programs..but then were those who soon became your critics if you didn't join in & do things the Fusion way.I think I got labelled with PBD as I refused to join in with their programs,the attacks became personal & comical. Having spent time with Mal I felt sorry for a couple of fusion workers as they operated like mini-Mals.We had enough on our plate coping with the young people who came our way.Sad thing in this blog is that people must have suspected what was happening & for what ever reason put their hands up & were brave enough to air their concerns.I suspect that the training produced yes people.. I am so stoked Sarah you are doing great...hopefully Fusion have fixed their issues & encourage some individuality...so that if this happens again.& I hope not ..people are encouraged to question things