if you die tonight are you going to heaven?

Mal Garvin says Sorry

12:25pm Monday, 26th April 2010  

John Sandeman

Mal Garvin’s departure from the ministry he founded, Fusion, in September last year has been clouded by an accusation of misconduct. The story remained mostly within Fusion, but also the subject of gossip until Garvin was accused of sexually pursuing “Sarah” a young woman in Fusion’s Paotina community, by Derryn Hinch in a Sunday Age article in March and on 3AW.
Mr Garvin has given Eternity a fresh account. “I started out trying to help a young lady with a horrendous background. Initially she responded and was doing well, but gradually the relationship changed and I found myself out of my depth.
“A leader of another Christian ministry has come forward and indicated that they too were unable to help the young woman when she was with them for six months. A small group of workers believed stories she told about the leader and helped her to run away. Those workers came back subsequently and apologized.”
Mal Garvin is concerned that it is hard to give context in a brief article, and is writing a longer account.
“To summarize my mistakes, while attemp-
ting to help the young woman and being  sensitive to her damaged esteem, I received suggestive text messages from her that I did not communicate to anyone else”, says Garvin.
“On two occasions I responded unwisely to suggestive text messages. On three occasions I responded wrongly to her advances and as a result there was inappropriate physical contact. In all of this, even though I sensed she was at risk, I failed to seek help or advice, wrongly believing I could manage it on my own.
“The price of my mistake has been very high personally and I am deeply sorry for the hurt caused, not least for the young woman who I wasn’t able to help.”
While Sarah and Garvin’s account’s differ in describing who chased who, they are both clear that sex did not take place.
Fusion has issued a statement reporting that “While the accusation was not legally classified as ‘reportable conduct’, we believed there was an obligation to investigate fully.
“An independent panel was appointed, with the panel members being neither employees nor members of Fusion. Mal Garvin retired within days of their finding being communicated to him.” Fusion added that some media reports were inaccurate.

WEB EXTRA: BACKGROUND DOCUMENTS

AN EARLIER STATEMENT FROM MAL GARVIN:

PRESS RELEASE

 

In recent weeks there has been some attention given in the media to the events that lead up to my retirement from Fusion last September, and allegations have been made which, if true, would mean that I had betrayed everything I have lived for.

 

Thankfully, those allegations are a long way from the truth. I am very willing for the real story to be known and for it to be something that alerts people to the fact that compassion, particularly for those who have been horrendously abused, can sometimes produce outcomes that we are not ready for.

 

“Sarah” (the name given to her by Derryn Hinch) had a troubled childhood.(who by the way conveniently forgot to mention ,had worked for me at 3AK,where i challenged his atheism) Some of this has been made public in his article, so it would not be betraying confidence for me to say she had been abused from a very young age. She came into the care of the Poatina community as a socially withdrawn and very disturbed person, but began to show good signs of emerging health. During this time she confided in me about some of the painful incidents from her past, it seemed to me her only childhood memories of affection had been around sexual activity.  It was good to see her becoming more able to relate to others in the village affectionately but in healthy and appropriate ways.

 

At a point her relationship with me began to take a worrying focus, and eventually what became an onslaught of unhealthy attention started to come my way. It is a long story with a lot of detail, and I am willing to be interviewed for more of this to be made known, but the most concise way to say it is that I faced situations that I did not pursue in any way, and which I was not prepared for. I knew that my love and acceptance had been a source of stability and growth for this person in recent years. I knew that rejection had the potential for serious psychological consequences and in relying on my own understanding of what was happening without being adequately aware of how to respond, I mishandled those situations and allowed things to happen that should not have happened.

 

Was I in a complicated situation with a vulnerable person? Yes

Did I tell my wife about this and communicate to this person that I was faithfully committed to my marriage throughout? Yes

Did I face situations I was not prepared for and which caught me by surprise? Yes

Did I pursue  of these situations? No

Did I mishandle these situations by arrogantly relying on old patterns of working with people with mental instability? Yes
Am I aware of this? Yes
Am I trying to justify my actions or defend myself? No

Did I actively seek sexual gratification from a person in my care? No
Did this person (as alleged ) attempt to take their life to escape my relentless sexual advances? No

Did I betray everything I ever stood for? No
Did I make mistakes while trying to help in the ongoing growth of someone with a profoundly disturbed past, who had shown significant growth under my care? Yes

Do I regret these mistakes and the pain they have caused and am I sorry for my part in it? Very much so

 

My hope in all of this is that it would become a salutary tale that can help others learn how to communicate compassion to those who have been abused while also being humble and wise about what they are doing so that it consistently helps bring about healing and growth where it is most needed..  I am half way through a book called the 3 attachmentsto that end.

 

A STATEMENT BY FUSION TO ETERNITY

As you may be aware, Mal Garvin started Fusion in the 1960s in Sydney, and was instrumental in developing the organisation into an international network to assist thousands of young people and communities.
 
Mal Garvin announced his immediate retirement at Fusion Australia’s National Conference (Annual General Meeting) in September 2009. There has since been some discussion in the media about the nature of his departure and some allegations about his behaviour while with Fusion. We note that the media reports, sadly, vary in terms of their accuracy.
 
Fusion, when informed of particular matters, responded clearly and in a manner beyond what was legally required. While the accusation was not legally classified as ‘reportable conduct’, we believed there was an obligation to investigate fully.  An independent panel was appointed, with the panel members being neither employees nor members of Fusion. Mal Garvin retired within days of their finding being communicated to him.
 
Since his departure six and a half months ago, Mal Garvin no longer holds any position of authority or responsibility within Fusion Australia Ltd.
 
Fusion is continuing with its important work with young people and others in the community which continues to grow. We have been encouraged by the understanding response of our supporters throughout this time.
 
Noel Sewell
Fusion Australia Ltd
Company Secretary

DERRYN HINCH REPORT IN THE SUNDAY AGE

www.theage.com.au/victoria/the-ultimate-betrayal-20100320-qnav.html

DERRYN HINCH FOLLOW UP ON 3AW

www.3aw.com.au/blogs/blog-with-derryn-hinch/hinch-follows-up-on-mal-garvin/20100323-qtki.html

 

 

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