Dr Thomas -- hat is precisely what I have been trying to do for the past 18 months....gather witness statements that have credibility in either media or legal contexts. For reasons beyond my comprehension there appears to be a ring fence around CH. People who have suffered various levels of abuse by him have been willing to share their experiences here. But when it comes to the nitty gritty of face to face testimony, they evaporate into a cloud of wishy washy excuses.
Pema

In reply to Pema and Dr. Thomas:

Those who have shared their own stories of abusive behaviour from Christopher Hansard have apparently faced the same legal questions that Dr. Thomas has mentioned. Much of this behaviour allegedly went on behind closed doors in a one to one situation.

There is also the emotional trauma to consider, especially when further action is being considered. This has been compounded by Jeff Bowe's insistence on trying to expose names on his websites.

However, as has already been discussed, Witness Against Abuse and The Metropolitan Police have been contacted and do have records.

Let us face the uncomfortable fact once again that former associates of Hansard's were seemingly fully aware of reported abuses for years before I first contributed to this forum. During this protracted period, during which we are given to understand that abuses were all too frequent, what excused or justfied the singular absence of any effective public challenge to Hansard's odious actions? Where was the sense of ethical and professional responsibility, that surely is a central element in any genuine health practitioner? How could former associates be aware, yet fail so spectacularly to offer a shred of opposition?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/11/2008 08:32PM by jeff bowe.

I am very sad to hear the various reports of abuse in this thread and also the seeming lack of progress in bringing these matters effectively to justice. It sounds like the correct authorities have been informed.

The problem indeed seems to be evedential as many of these alleged incidents occured behind closed doors.

It would seem that based on what has been said here, that IF true, and it can be brought to trial with the correct level of proof, Hansard could face criminal proceedings for at the very least Common Assault under S.39 Criminal Justice ACt 1988 and probably S.3 Sexual Offences Act 2003.

Obviously the Police / CPS do not seem to believe they have this level of proof (If they have actually been informed) or they would probably have arrested Hansard by now and he would be awaiting trial.

It is also possible for a person to take a private legal action (possibly in the tort of "trespass to the person" in this case) this would be expensive, however there are certain no win no fee options that could be investigated. A person might also be eligable for legal aid. This if successful would result in Hansard (or his insurance company) having to pay damages to the people concerned. This would include any psychological damage.

I think the best chance of success is if all the people which have suffered in this way get together and:

A) inform the police as a group, if they have not done so. I believe the Saphire unit are the people to talk to but any local police station will do.

B) Consider a private joint claim against Hansard. (sometimes certain charities will help fund private actions of this nature try [washrag.org])


I understand that many people who have suffered this kind of abuse do not wish to dredge up the past and do not wish to undergo the trauma of reliving unpleasant events in the witness box. The burden of proof in criminal proceedings is on the crown to show that the crime was commited "beyond reasonable doubt" this is for a good reason.

What it will need is a very brave woman or women to start the ball rolling, someone who makes the decision that she will not be silent, will not be intimidated and for the sake of women who might be abused in the future is prepared to go the distance and do something about it!

Also be aware that the courts can take measures to minimise the trauma of giving such evidence (for example by using statements or video evidence) so the process may be much easier than you think. (see extract below) be aware that although reference to the age of the victim is made these measures can be used for any witness who is intimidated regardless of age.


Youth Justice and Criminal Evidence Act 1999 c. 23Part II GIVING OF EVIDENCE OR INFORMATION FOR PURPOSES OF CRIMINAL PROCEEDINGSChapter I SPECIAL MEASURES DIRECTIONS IN CASE OF VULNERABLE AND INTIMIDATED WITNESSES Preliminary This version in force from: July 27, 1999 to present

(version 1 of 1)
17.— Witnesses eligible for assistance on grounds of fear or distress about testifying.(1) For the purposes of this Chapter a witness in criminal proceedings (other than the accused) is eligible for assistance by virtue of this subsection if the court is satisfied that the quality of evidence given by the witness is likely to be diminished by reason of fear or distress on the part of the witness in connection with testifying in the proceedings.
(2) In determining whether a witness falls within subsection (1) the court must take into account, in particular—

(a) the nature and alleged circumstances of the offence to which the proceedings relate;
(b) the age of the witness;
(c) such of the following matters as appear to the court to be relevant, namely—

(i) the social and cultural background and ethnic origins of the witness,
(ii) the domestic and employment circumstances of the witness, and
(iii) any religious beliefs or political opinions of the witness;
(d) any behaviour towards the witness on the part of—

(i) the accused,
(ii) members of the family or associates of the accused, or
(iii) any other person who is likely to be an accused or a witness in the proceedings.
(3) In determining that question the court must in addition consider any views expressed by the witness.
(4) Where the complainant in respect of a sexual offence is a witness in proceedings relating to that offence (or to that offence and any other offences), the witness is eligible for assistance in relation to those proceedings by virtue of this subsection unless the witness has informed the court of the witness' wish not to be so eligible by virtue of this subsection.



I wish luck and peace to those out there who have suffered


S.

Excellent comments

An update concerning Tibetan Way...

Tibetan Medicine?

In the continued absence of any corroborative information, which would verify the credentials of Tibetan Way, questions continue to be raised concerning their training and qualification within Tibetan medicine. Their website claims to be "dedicated to the best of traditional Tibetan natural health formulations" and features a number of herbs as medicinal ingredients.

Anyone of reasonable intelligence and understanding would naturally conclude that the herbal ingredients of such 'medicines' would be those used in authentic Tibetan medical pharmacology, otherwise how could they credibly assert it to be traditional Tibetan medicine?

However, if we examine in more detail the herbs featured by Tibetan Way we notice that they originate not from Tibet, but from climates, habitats and locations very different indeed to the Tibetan Plateau.

Tibetan Way lists the following as active medical ingredients in its "formulations". The native habitat and geographical location for each herb has been determined with the kind and authoritative assistance of the National Institute of Medical Herbalists Herbs and two definitive reference texts on the subject.


Blue Cohosh Root (caulophyllum thalictroides) - Eastern and North America
Black Cohosh Root (Cimicifuga racemosa) - North America & Candada and as far south as Florida in woodland.
Blessed Thistle (Cnicus benedictus) - Mediterranean, Asia - dry ground
Cramp Bark (Viburnum opulus) - Europe, North Africa - wood clearings and wet soil
Chaste Berry (vitex agnus cactus) - Mediterranean, West Asia, East Africa, - Subtropical upland
Dandelion Root (Taraxacum officinale,) - Northern hemisphere in most conditions
Meadowsweet (spirea ulmaria) - Europe and West Asian - fertile, waterside soils
Gentian (Gentiana lutea) - Europe - native to the Alps and mountainous regions of Central and southern Europe from Spain to the Balkans
Goldenseal (Hydrastis Canadensis) - North America
Fennel Seed, (Anethum Feoniculum), - Fennel is Feoniculum vulgaris - Europe, Mediterranean in well drained loam. Anethum feoniculum is Dill found in Southern Europe to India in rich, well drained soil.
Fenugreek Seed, (Trigonealla foenum-graecum). - Southern Europe and Asia in dry grasslands, hillsides

Echinacea angustifolia root (Echinacea angustifolia) - Central North America in dry open woodland
Echinacea purpurea root (Echinacea purpurea) - Native of central parts of USA and Europe
Ginger root (Zingiber officinalis) - tropical Asia in lowland forest
Barberry Root Bark (Berberis vulgaris) - Native to Europe, naturalised in North America
Valerian extract (4:1) (Valerina officinalis), -Native to Europe and northern Asia
Hops (Homulus lupulus)- Indigenous to Europe and Asia
Skullcap (Scutellaria lupulus) - Scutellaria lateriflora - Native to North America and Canada
Passionflower (Passiflora incarnate) - Native ot Southern US. Cultivated in Europe especially Italy
White Peony Root (Paeonia lactiflora) - Cultivated throughout NE China and Inner Mongolia
Corydalis Root (Dicentra Canadensis) Native to north eastern USA
Liquorice Root (Glycrrhiza glabra) - wild in SE Europe and SW Asia but now extensively cultivated
Cayenne fruit (Capsicum Sp.) - Native to tropical Americas. Now cultivated throughout the tropics especially Africa and India
Dong Quai Root (Angelica sinensis) - Central Asia
Lobelia herb (Lobelia infanta) - Indigenous American plant. N America and Eastern US
Red Clover (Trifolium pratense). - Native to Europe and Asia. Naturalised in N America and Australia

Siberian Ginseng Root (Eleuthrococcus senticosus) - Native to Russia, China, Korea and Japan
Astralagus Root (Astralagus membranaceus) - Native to Mongolia and North and East China
American Ginseng Root (Panax quinquefolium) - Native to North America and the Himalayas
Reishi Mushroom (Ganoderma lucidum) - Europe, China on stumps or roots of broadleaf trees
Condonopsis Root (Codonopsis pilosula) - Native to NE China
Fo-Ti Root (Polygonum multiflorum).- Polygonatum multiflorum - Native to Europe & temperate regions of Asia
Chlorella (Chlorella pyrenoidosa) - algae cultivated in Japan or Taiwan
Devils Claw (Harpagophytum procumbens), - Native to Southern and Eastern Africa most commonly found in veldt in Transvaal
Yucca root (Yucca sp) - SE USA - in dry, sandy areas

Anyone considering purchasing 'medicines' from Tibetan Way would surely question why it is that supposedly "traditional Tibetan natural health formulations" seem to be produced from herbs that do not exist in, or are native to Tibet?
SOURCES:
Private Communications with NIMH (2008)
RHS Encyclopaedia of Herbs (2003)
KADANS, JOSEPH M. Encyclopedia of Medicinal Herbs
1983



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 06/12/2008 11:17PM by jeff bowe.

FYI -- Tibetan Way and Chris Farmer is now a separate thread.

Anyone interested in further discussion regarding Tibetan Way or Farmer should move over and discuss it there.

This thread if for discussing Christopher Hansard

Moderator. Thank you for that information and my apologies for this oversight.

Dear RR Moderator,

Thank you this will enable us to return to the central issue.

Sparrow thank you for your well timed and precise summary.

I feel we should now actively encourage those who feel they have been subjected to inappropriate behaviour to come forward. I say inappropriate because clearly some of the abuse issues are psychological, some spiritual and others physical in nature. Unfortunately these issues are hard to prove, and as has been demonstrated the authorities are slow to go forward on such things. It is only with a large volume of evidence will they be forced to take up such issues.

In the end the response of the authorities is based on two things.
1 Can we get a conviction?
2 Statistical analysis.

Analysis comes into this because health professionals do get accused of inappropriate conduct. Until the misconduct gets above the statistical norm it will go unnoticed and be ignored. So in the end it will be volume of complaint that will make the difference. Let’s try and concentrate on this issue encouraging as a group the victims to come forward, supporting them in all ways possible.


James

There is a rather interesting discussion on the UK Sceptics concerning Hansard et.al.

Let us face the uncomfortable fact once again that former associates of Hansard's were seemingly fully aware of reported abuses for years before I first contributed to this forum. During this protracted period, during which we are given to understand that abuses were all too frequent, what excused or justfied the singular absence of any effective public challenge to Hansard's odious actions? Where was the sense of ethical and professional responsibility, that surely is a central element in any genuine health practitioner? How could former associates be aware, yet fail so spectacularly to offer a shred of opposition?

Given the above comment by Jeff Bowe it my shed light upon the motives of a number of the posters at this site. I cannot say that I entirely agree with all statements on UK Sceptics, but for once I find myself in agreement with Jeff Bowe over this matter.

James