Overreach: Update on Victory Outreach

The issue of Console has raised again the problems associated with charities. This report in 2013 raised exactly the same issues then.

Late in 2014 we had overtures from VO and engaged with them about the abuses outlined a year earlier in the Prime Time documentary.

https://dialogueireland.wordpress.com/2013/12/18/victory-outreach-prime-time-special-report/

They clearly tried to separate themselves from Andy Valdez and his Freedom Ministries. Our discussions broke down and could find no one to take responsibility for the issues raised by the documentary. One of the reasons VO was able to be so successful is that they did not require any entry requirements and so vulnerable families and addicts flock to them like bees to honey not realising the trap they are entering.

http://www.rte.ie/news/player/2013/1217/20493072-vulnerable-addicts-working-to-raise-money-for-religious-charity/

The refusal of Victory Outreach to take responsibility for Freedom Ministries leads to confusion.

Last December Dialogue Ireland entered into discussions with Victory Outreach in regard to the failures of governance in regard to their agent Andy Valdez who went rogue and refused to address the serious charges leveled against him. These were clearly outlined in an RTE Prime Time documentary which can be found with a number of other articles on our blog.

Victory Outreach, Concerns raised over rehab facility in Rathdrum by William O’Toole, Wicklow News

Concerns raised over rehab facility in Rathdrum

Home / Latest News / Concerns raised over rehab facility in Rathdrum

Concerns raised over rehab facility in Rathdrum

Posted by: William O’Toole in Latest News October 2, 2015

 

Residents in Rathdrum have voiced their concerns today after it emerged that a evangelical addiction facility has opened in the town.

It is understood that Victory Outreach, a worldwide organisation that offers rehabilitation for addicts through prayer, has opened the centre at the Old Presbytery beside the Fair Green in the town.

The organisations Irish operations were questioned in 2013 after former addicts who attended their Cork centre raised questions about the care they received at the centre, which was unregulated.

An RTE Investigates programme, which aired in 2013, focused on the Cork centre and a centre in Kildare, both of which operated under the Victory Outreach umbrella.

It was claimed at the time that addicts who signed up for the program, which can last up to 12 months in some cases, had to hand over most of their social welfare payment to avail of a place on the Victory Outreach residential program.

Some Residents also had to spend up to 18 hours a day selling raffle tickets in order to meet fundraising quotas it was claimed in the RTE Investigates report.

It was also claimed that the organisation had no official treatment model for residents and most of the treatment came in the form of prayer and spiritual healing.

Concerns

Speaking to wicklownews.net this afternoon, a local resident who wished to remain anonymous said : “I have no problem with people getting rehab to sort their problems,”

“However, I would be concerned if the person was receiving the treatment in an unregulated manner, I think that at the very least, the community has a right to know what is going on.”

Residents have also raised concerns about the location of the facility, given that it is located in close proximity to two schools and a creche.

When contacted yesterday, the person who answered the phone at the Rathdrum centre declined to comment.

More on the invasion Victory Outrage

There was little media interest in the so called Invasion by VO. But here we have a link showing that the LBGT community is not very happy with VO’s presence in Ireland. DI as an organisation that gives information about VO is now been accused of taking a position on homosexuality by publishing this report. We totally refute that idea, and that is the equivalent of saying that a library that holds books on Adolf Hitler supports Nazism. We see it as our role to bring information in the public domain to the Irish public. Yesterday we received a comment from Seattle Washington from former addicts. It is clear we are one of the only organisations bringing this information to the public.
Also we guarantee free speech and will provide a forum for anyone opposing what we write and give them an uncensored right of reply.

http://justpaste.it/victoryoutreach

Victory Outreach Outrage

We reported last week evidence of an invasion of Ireland by VO forces. It seems when you are confronted by evidence which is uncomfortable you divert attention by taking some unrelated action. This fires up the troops and takes their mind off the subject. In other words argument weak shout loud.

Countries like Russia invade smaller States to divert attention from trouble at home. Following publication of this post Paul Lloyd made comments on Facebook which kept avoiding the issues at hand, namely the issues surrounding the abuse of addicts. When confronted by a friend of mine on Facebook he thought it was journalist and that I had set him up. Needless to say the question was what was their treatment plan for addicts. It was for such an obvious question he blocked me on Facebook. Now they are having a drama at Liberty Hall which is not necessary as they still have a drama related to Valdez which has not been staged. It is unlikely to receive rave reviews.

Victory Outreach is invading Ireland, the Netherlands and England

http://victoryoutreach.org/event/european-invasion-2015/#fndtn-general

As the public knows we reported that we found major problems in Ireland and a lack of transparency by VOI. When you don’t want to address issues there is a good way to avoid things. How? Invade countries and charge an inordinate amount.
How can you share your faith and call it an invasion?