CBC Fifth Estate AARC piece

[Anonymous]

You put your daughter there, because your niece was doing meth? So your daughter wasn't even doing drugs? And on top of it you didn't even bother to talk to the head of the program who personally conducts many therapy sessions? You sound very irresponsible.

I don't even know why I am bothering to reply because you are not going to listen but..

If you read my posts (there are only a couple), you will see that I put my daughter in there because of her cocaine addiction. This addiction wasn't some fabrication made up by AARC, this was the result of a police visit and her going to a Doctor for her heart issues. When you argue against someone else's personal experience, it really does show your bias. I think I have a better grip on my and my daughters history than you.

We saw AARC as a solution when all other cheaper, easier efforts proved wildly unsuccessful. We knew about AARC because my niece went through the program a year earlier and is now sober despite an extreme addiction to meth.

[psy]

Guest.

Did you find the CBC report disturbing?  Why?

Do you feel those people who are making the accusations against AARC are lying?

[Anonymous]

Guest.

Did you find the CBC report disturbing?  Why?

Do you feel those people who are making the accusations against AARC are lying?

I did find it disturbing for a couple of reasons

1) it implied that AARC parents are there because we have some minor issues with our kids, not because of their addictions. This is absurd and if you believe it then I am truly wasting my time

2) it implied that sexual assault is looked at favourably within AARC.

3) it allowed Rachel to make a claim that is impossible to prove wrong. It took the word of a person with acknowledged drug induced psychosis and allowed her a forum to make claims which cannot be proven true or false. You haters will always believe her, those of us who have experienced the love and dedication of the staff will never believe her. Unless you have a shred of evidence, you don't make these types of claims 5 - 6 years later. I just hope this doesn't happen to you.
I had a friend falsely accused of molesting his daughter and it almost destroyed him. His wife eventually admitted it but the damage was long done. I have a friend whose ex-wife accused him of assault. He was arrested and was released when he produced expense reciepts showing he was in Australia when the alleged assault occurred. It cost him thousands in legal fees. He was lucky that his ex wife didn't know he was gone that week or he would have been found guilty

Do I believe they are lying

I think the claims may be true to them but may not be factual. I don't think it happened but the reality is that a rape can occur at any job site, including yours, mine, and the CBC HQ. No place is immune and I see nothing in the design or culture of AARC that would encourage rape.

For those who don't know how AARC works,  any kid can walk away after they reach step 4. The claims of both girls occurred after this point and I find it hard to believe they would have stayed if the events happened. At step 4, you are fully in contact with your parents yet neither set of parents pulled their kid out of AARC. The parents obvioulsy were not aware or didn't believe them either.

The lady who says she was wrongly sent to KIDS stayed there for her whole treatment and then worked at AARC for 2 years. This doesn't seem like anyone forced her into anything.

[psy]

First of all, "drug induced psychosis" is not entierly accurate.  It's not a permanant condition.  When somebody is having an LSD trip, they have "drug induced psychosis".  Key phrase here being "drug induced".  Also, If you remember in the program, it also said a later independent evaluation said that she did *not* have a drug problem.  Just because a person tried LSD and had a bad trip does not mean they are somehow crazy for life or inherently prone to make stuff up.

I know Rachael quite well.  She has never lied to me and I've heard about her experiences in AARC in far greater detail than set forth in her interviews.  I believe her.  The CBC believed her.  And with libel/slander being a criminal matter in Canada, I have no doubt the CBC verified her claims well.  I have no reason to question her, especially when her story is so similar to that of others.

As to not seeing anything in the culture of AARC that might encourage rape...  What about the doctrine of powerlessness and the fact that oldcomers have absolute control and power over newcomers?  Have you never heard of the Stanford prison experiment?

Also, if I recall correctly, I don't think she made it to level four.  Even if she did, consider that there are circumstances where parents are... batshit crazy, for lack of a better term.  Some parents believe that if a girl was raped, she must have done something to deserve it.  In those cases, it's not much good to tell a parent.  Who does a kid turn to in these situations?  What if a kid *has* cried "wolf" in the past but is telling the truth *this* time?  Allegations of abuse or rape should *never* go ignored.

About the girl who was sent to kids... You obviously don't know much about cults, do you?  Might I suggest watching the film "over the GW' which is about KIDS of Bergen County.

[Anonymous]

Guest.

Did you find the CBC report disturbing?  Why?

Do you feel those people who are making the accusations against AARC are lying?

I did find it disturbing for a couple of reasons

1) it implied that AARC parents are there because we have some minor issues with our kids, not because of their addictions. This is absurd and if you believe it then I am truly wasting my time

2) it implied that sexual assault is looked at favourably within AARC.

3) it allowed Rachel to make a claim that is impossible to prove wrong. It took the word of a person with acknowledged drug induced psychosis and allowed her a forum to make claims which cannot be proven true or false. You haters will always believe her, those of us who have experienced the love and dedication of the staff will never believe her. Unless you have a shred of evidence, you don't make these types of claims 5 - 6 years later. I just hope this doesn't happen to you.
I had a friend falsely accused of molesting his daughter and it almost destroyed him. His wife eventually admitted it but the damage was long done. I have a friend whose ex-wife accused him of assault. He was arrested and was released when he produced expense reciepts showing he was in Australia when the alleged assault occurred. It cost him thousands in legal fees. He was lucky that his ex wife didn't know he was gone that week or he would have been found guilty

Do I believe they are lying

I think the claims may be true to them but may not be factual. I don't think it happened but the reality is that a rape can occur at any job site, including yours, mine, and the CBC HQ. No place is immune and I see nothing in the design or culture of AARC that would encourage rape.

For those who don't know how AARC works,  any kid can walk away after they reach step 4. The claims of both girls occurred after this point and I find it hard to believe they would have stayed if the events happened. At step 4, you are fully in contact with your parents yet neither set of parents pulled their kid out of AARC. The parents obvioulsy were not aware or didn't believe them either.

The lady who says she was wrongly sent to KIDS stayed there for her whole treatment and then worked at AARC for 2 years. This doesn't seem like anyone forced her into anything.

"AN acknowledged drug induced psychosis"? She had a bad reaction to acid.

Are you saying that anyone who has ever done acid  have their  sworn testimony automatically discounted and ignored by journalists, prosecuting and protective goverment bodies, and society in general ?

Do you  also feel your daughter, should she claim she was raped, should have her claim ignored by the media, by police and protective bodies , and society at large?

You sicken me

[psy]

"AN acknowledged drug induced psychosis"? She had a bad reaction to acid.

Are you saying that anyone who has ever done acid  have their  sworn testimony automatically discounted and ignored by journalists, prosecuting and protective goverment bodies, and society in general ?

Do you  also feel your daughter, should she claim she was raped, should have her claim ignored by the media, by police and protective bodies , and society at large?

You sicken me

See... But they hold it as a matter of dogma that all "druggies" are automatically liars.  They really believe this shit.  Just something to think about.

[psy]

1) it implied that AARC parents are there because we have some minor issues with our kids, not because of their addictions. This is absurd and if you believe it then I am truly wasting my time.

I'm sure it's a very mixed bag, like KIDS of Bergen County.  Regardless of their problems, though, what is practiced at AARC is not any legitimate sort of treatment.  It's thought reform.  It produces very convincing temporary results, but the long term results (as one AA commentator noted) are disastrous.

[Anonymous]

I'd say forcing teenagers who are supposedly so drug addicted they cannot be permitted to remain at large to serve as prison guards for other teenagers creates a climate where rape is encouraged.

Why don't you pull your head out of DV's ass and ask a clinical psychiatrist if he's ever heard of psychiatric institution where the patients were given control over other patients.

That policy is absolute madness. It ALWAYS generates abusive relationships, if not outright rape. Forcing adolescents to assume physical and psychological control and dominion over another adolescent is forcing adolescents into abusive relationships.

An adolescent shouldn’t be involved in deciding whether another is “honest” about their drug use, he shouldn’t decide what “level” of freedom another “deserves,” he shouldn’t be restraining him or otherwise standing guard over him.

What part of your brain fell out so that you can’t understand that? I feel sorry for your kid and hope she survives you

[Anonymous]

3) it allowed Rachel to make a claim that is impossible to prove wrong. It took the word of a person with acknowledged drug induced psychosis and allowed her a forum to make claims which cannot be proven true or false. You haters will always believe her, those of us who have experienced the love and dedication of the staff will never believe her. Unless you have a shred of evidence, you don't make these types of claims 5 - 6 years later.

.

But how could Rachael do anything else BUT make this claim 5-6 years later? She lacked any opportunity to contact the authorities sooner. AARC does not allow captives to contact the outside world to report rape, remember?

You and the AARC condone and create a situation where captives are incapable of reporting abuse, and then state their claims of abuse are lies because they did not report them?

After Racheal escaped she was in a position where her continued freedom was dependent on "not making waves." Reporting a rape would involve making waves and provoke possible re-incarceration or other abusive reaction from her parents.

The other girl who was abused was in the same situation as Rachael, but her sexual abuse was enabled in a more proactive way--she was forced to sign a retraction of her original complaint to DV. There is NO way within the clutches of the AARC to report or object to abuse.Do you not see that? Do you think that's fair?

[Anonymous]

Somebody please record this and put it on youtube or at least get a copy. I don't think I get any channel with CBC on it.

If you want to make sure this gets out across Canada and gets immortalized into the public consciousness, then digitalize it and put it on Pirate Bay or another torrent site.

[psy]

Somebody please record this and put it on youtube or at least get a copy. I don't think I get any channel with CBC on it.

If you want to make sure this gets out across Canada and gets immortalized into the public consciousness, then digitalize it and put it on Pirate Bay or another torrent site.

This is being worked on (I'm getting a copy).  For now, i suggest linking to the article.

[Anonymous]

The lady who says she was wrongly sent to KIDS stayed there for her whole treatment and then worked at AARC for 2 years. This doesn't seem like anyone forced her into anything.

I guess you're not familiar with the coercive tactics used.

Then again you wouldn't be, because the whole point of effective brainwashing is to keep the victim completely unaware of the fact they're being brainwashed.

I guess all those people who drank the koolaid and died weren't "forced" into anything either. I'm sure if any one of them were asked if they were brainwashed they would have said no.

It was also claimed that clients can freely walk away on level 4? How about the one on one sessions that happen when a client turns 18 and could walk away? They sit down to a one on one that doesn't end until the client has "agreed" to stay for their own recovery! Or how about the clients who are "Tricked" into staying because they've signed paperwork committing themselves thinking they were actually signing something else! Of course this is just a troubled kid who obviously doesn't KNOW this tactic is completely illegal. Of course AARC isn't going to TELL them that! All they believe is they are now screwed and have to stay because they've signed the paperwork!

[Anonymous]

For those who don't know how AARC works,  any kid can walk away after they reach step 4. The claims of both girls occurred after this point and I find it hard to believe they would have stayed if the events happened. At step 4, you are fully in contact with your parents yet neither set of parents pulled their kid out of AARC. The parents obvioulsy were not aware or didn't believe them either.

The lady who says she was wrongly sent to KIDS stayed there for her whole treatment and then worked at AARC for 2 years. This doesn't seem like anyone forced her into anything.

Walk away to what? Most clients comply, learn to cry on cue and lie if they don't have enough "past incidents" in order to not get the emotional shit kicked out of them in rap. If they leave, often their family will turn their back on them as per AARC's instruction. They continue to go to Open Meeting and Tuesday night raps to tell other parents how aweful it is when their child abandons reason and leaves AARC to go die on the streets or in jail.

[psy]

If they leave, often their family will turn their back on them as per AARC's instruction. They continue to go to Open Meeting and Tuesday night raps to tell other parents how aweful it is when their child abandons reason and leaves AARC to go die on the streets or in jail.

So basically the program accomplishes the feat of setting the kid up to die on the streets and then manages to convince the parents it's the kids' fault.  Same in the program I was in.  It the kids don't graduate, they tell the parents never to let the kids back or even provide them with any type of support (while doing other stuff such as taking away property, money, ID, etc...).

So many programs operate in such a similar manner.

[Rachael]

For the record: In the five months I was in AARC I never progressed past Step 1 as I was incapable of "acknowledging I was powerless over alcohol and that my life had become unmanagable". It's really hard to accept so completely something that is fundamentally untrue.

Also, after I was raped I tried to get to see a doctor - I was taken to Stanhope and staff would not leave the room while I was there. The doctor's report says I was there for: "female problems". Ironic eh? Wouldn't you think rape is more of a male problem?

Rachael