I really appreciate you considered reply. The numbers of women who have come forward is 20 -30 from memory. This is the number that have presented to Mercy Survivors, though I think only 4-5 have had the ability to peak publically about it. If the Mercy Survivor who runs the site is around she can tell us.

You are right, this post was one of frustration. The problem is simply not big enough, nor does it effect enough people. I do see it it as part of a larger problem of non-evidence based forays into health care in general along with homeopathic remedies, and general woo related self help rubbish.

Admittedly I was unaware that the number of former residents coming forward had grown so much since the initial allegations (Could you give me a source for that? I like to have solid information to back up my rants), however even then, they are still in a relatively weak position to stand up to Mercy and its backers. Compare this to the anti-filtering campaign which has the weight of organisations like Electronic Frontiers Australia and major ISPs who have a lot to lose if the initiative goes ahead, behind it. Plus, internet filtering will affect every internet user in Australia. Even the total number of people who have passed through MM's doors is quite small in comparison.

And even demonstrating that Mercy used [i]Restoring the Foundations[/i] as part of its program isn't enough. The public needs to understand that MM was unethical in the way it represented itself to potential residents, particularly in terms of any misrepresentation about the provision of professional counselling and psychiatric care. Activists such as Sean and the people at Mercy Survivors are doing a great job in aggregating information about MM's dodgy practices, and trying to raise awareness.

Sean posed the question "Why is there no widespread moral outrage about Mercy Ministries?' practices?", I am offering a hypothesis as to why this is so, and pondering what can be done to remedy the situation.

With 1/3 of the Australian intake of former residents reported to have come forward, I don't think it's just a "few" girls.

http://z4.invisionfree.com/Fools_Paradise/index.p...

Then there's the whole "freedom of religion"/"Christianity is good m'kay?" thing. It's another one of those little psychological buttons that send people ducking for cover.

Plus, Mercy are so secretive about their methods that it is a case of the Mercy Girls' word against Mercy's, and the sad truth is that people are more inclined to take the word of the charity with deep pockets over a few former patients many of whom, by their own admission, mentally ill. As someone who has worked with the mentally ill, I'm sure you are painfully aware of the stigma attached to mental illness.

The more pressing question is what to do about it.