By Kathy Sharpe

The veil of shame and secrecy that has served to help protect Dr Graeme Reeves was torn away on Thursday, when five women from the Bega Valley went public with their shocking stories of assault and mutilation.

By doing so they gave some names and faces to the now hundreds of complaints of the so called “butcher of Bega”

For one Bega victim, facing the cameras and revealing the shocking details of her experience was almost as bad as the assaults.

Christine Griffin said if it wasn’t for the bravery of Carolyn Dewaegeneire and the other Bega women who travelled to Sydney together on Thursday she could never have come forward.

And it was the solidarity between the women got them through the harrowing day.

“Some of the women I hadn’t met before, I just cuddled them straight away. These were complete strangers and I don’t normally do that.

“It was just somebody knowing what you’ve been through, and somebody completely understanding you.

“Unless something like this has happened to you, you just don’t know how it feels.

“We laughed and we cried. Every one of us was hurting. I believe it’s made me a little bit stronger

“Up until then, I hadn’t even told my sister or my close friends the details of what happened, and here I was at a press conference., and most of the journalists were men.

“But as we were speaking, many of them had tears in their eyes as they listened to our stories.”

Like the vast majority of Reeves’ victims, Christine was initially reluctant to speak out, wanting just to try and forget her alleged assault.

“I thought, maybe it’s just me? There were letters of support for him from patients being published in the paper.

“But when Carolyn’s story came out I was beside myself. I couldn’t sit back and not let people know what he was like.

“We have to try and change the system so no doctor can do this again and so that when women complain, something is done about it.”

Like Carolyn, Christine did complain to the Health Care Complaints Commission, to no avail.

On Thursday, the five Bega Valley women travelled to Sydney to meet with Opposition Health Minister Jillian Skinner.

“The newspapers were there and they asked us for our names. I thought, if it’s going to be on television people know me in the area, there’s not point me trying to hide it anymore.

“So I said, yes, you can put my name and my face out there. It was every bit as hard as what happened to us.”

She said after the emotionally charged press conference, she felt like she was in a state of shock and couldn’t even remember what she had said on camera.

But when she saw how much the women’s stories affected everyone in the room, she felt for the first time that someone was listening.

She watched the news reports that night, with her partner by her side.

“I felt for my partner and my daughter. Everyone knows our personal life now but I know that this has to happen.

“I didn’t get results by going through the HCCC, so the only way was to go to public. I’m getting better at talking about it.

“Of course it’s terribly embarrassing, but while I feel embarrassed, I realise now that I don’t have to feel ashamed any more.”

Christine paid tribute to Member for Bega Andrew Constance and Lorraine Long from the Medical Error Action Group who she said had given the women so much support.

She also expressed her thanks to Anna Glover, the former editor of the Bega District News, who was the first to listen to the women and put into print their harrowing experiences.

Carolyn Dewaegeneire, whose story was first told in the Bega District News in August last year, congratulated her four fellow victims for having the courage to come forward.

“When Anna (Glover) first published my story last year, about seven women came forward,” Carolyn said.

She said while that wasn’t a large number, it gave her hope.

“When they first came forward, they had their hands in front of their eyes. Now I think they are holding their heads a bit higher. We have nothing to be ashamed of.

“Now I’m not the only voice – but I’m also terribly distressed that it happened to them too.”

She said she would advise any fellow victims to go straight to the local Bega police with their complaints.

Why didn’t anyone notice?

Questions have arisen as to how Dr Graeme Reeves’ numerous alleged offences committed during his time in the Bega Valley Shire escaped the notice of other local medical professionals.

The Bega District News has seen a letter dated April 29, 2003, bearing the signatures of eight local medical staff from Bega and Pambula, expressing concern at the treatment of Reeves following his termination by the Southern Area Health service (SAHS).

The letter, addressed to the chairman of the SAHS, asked the service to explain its actions in sacking Dr Reeves and said “it appears that the Area Health Service has not been supportive of Dr Reeves in a number of forums”.

The letter asked that he be reappointed to practise gynaecology only.

There were suggestions on Friday that the letter had been circulated to reporters in Sydney in an effort to deflect criticism from Reba Meagher’s office.

In the latest damage control measure, the State Government is poised to introduce laws by which doctors will be bound to dob in their colleagues if they suspect them of any wrong doing.

Yesterday a woman from the Cooma district also went public, telling a Sydney paper she had been given an unnecessary hysterectomy and had required numerous surgeries since to correct the botched operation.

She also said she had complained to the Greater Southern Area Health Service and was told they could do nothing, as by then he had been deregistered.

The Bega District News has had a second woman come forward expressing support for Reeves.

The Bega woman says in an email that she owes her life to Dr Reeves, and is angry at the media treatment of the issue.

Opposition wants questions answered

With more victims coming forward and telling their stories Shadow Minister for Health Jillian Skinner wants answers about the Health Department's “role in the Bega health scandal”.

"More than five months after this issue was raised in Parliament, the State's Health Minister has failed to provide any answers as to how this tragedy was allowed to occur," Mrs Skinner said.

"Victims will find little comfort from yet another Reba Meagher apology and a helpline after the horrific treatment they suffered at the hands of the NSW health system," she said.

"Fundamental questions remain unanswered despite Health Minister Reba Meagher having more than five months to get to the bottom of this scandal:

* How was Dr Reeves appointed to practice in the Bega region despite having a red flag next to his name;

* Why were background checks not carried out;

* How many complaints were made about Dr Reeves during his time at Bega;

* Why were these complaints not properly investigated;

* Why did the HCCC refuse to investigate complaints about Dr Reeves, and;

* Will you direct the Garling Special Commission of Inquiry to investigate these matters?

"A helpline won't give the answers these women deserve.

"Now that the victims have told their story, it's time for Reba Meagher to start providing some answers.

"Exactly how was it that this doctor, who was banned from practicing obstetrics, ended up being re-employed by her Health Department?

"These victims deserve answers and Health Minister Reba Meagher had better start finding them," Mrs Skinner said.