Kee MacFarlane
Encyclopedia
Kathleen 'Kee' MacFarlane (born 1947) was the Director of Children's Institute International
. She developed the concept of the anatomically correct doll
for children to use during interviews concerning abuse and played a significant role in the McMartin preschool trial
.
and later received her master's degree in social work
. After graduation, MacFarlane became a lobbyist for the National Organization for Women
and grant evaluator for the National Center for Child Abuse and Neglect, later becoming the Director of Children's Institute International
(CII). In the time leading up to the McMartin preschool trial, MacFarlane described herself as a psychotherapist but lacked any professional licenses.
s and hand puppets. MacFarlane believed that the children suffered from child sexual abuse accommodation syndrome
, and would deny sexual abuse without special techniques designed to encourage disclosure. The interviewing techniques used during investigations of the allegations were highly suggestive and invited children to pretend or speculate about supposed events. By spring of 1984, it was claimed that 360 children had been abused. Astrid Heppenstall Heger
performed medical examinations and took photos of what she believed to be minute scarring which she stated was caused by anal penetration. Critics have alleged that the questioners asked the children leading question
s, repetitively, which, it is said, always yields positive responses from young children, making it impossible to know what the child actually experienced. Others believe that the questioning itself may have led to false memory syndrome among the children who were questioned. Ultimately only 41 of the original 360 children testified during the grand jury and pre-trial hearings, and fewer than a dozen testified during the actual trial.
MacFarlane went on to testify in front of the United States Congress
that she believed there was an organized, nation-wide conspiracy of individuals sexually abusing children.
Children's Institute International
Children's Institute International is an anti-child–abuse organization in Los Angeles that was started in 1950 as "The Colleagues" to raise funds for Big Brothers Big Sisters...
. She developed the concept of the anatomically correct doll
Anatomically correct doll
An anatomically correct doll or anatomically precise doll is a doll with some of the primary and secondary sex characteristics of a human. In colloquial vernacular it usually refers to the genitals being depicted. This can be for realism or educational purposes, as well as to satisfy inanimate...
for children to use during interviews concerning abuse and played a significant role in the McMartin preschool trial
McMartin preschool trial
The McMartin preschool trial was a day care sexual abuse case of the 1980s. Members of the McMartin family, who operated a preschool in California, were charged with numerous acts of sexual abuse of children in their care. Accusations were made in 1983. Arrests and the pretrial investigation ran...
.
Professional training
She received a bachelor's degree in fine arts in OhioOhio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
and later received her master's degree in social work
Social work
Social Work is a professional and academic discipline that seeks to improve the quality of life and wellbeing of an individual, group, or community by intervening through research, policy, community organizing, direct practice, and teaching on behalf of those afflicted with poverty or any real or...
. After graduation, MacFarlane became a lobbyist for the National Organization for Women
National Organization for Women
The National Organization for Women is the largest feminist organization in the United States. It was founded in 1966 and has a membership of 500,000 contributing members. The organization consists of 550 chapters in all 50 U.S...
and grant evaluator for the National Center for Child Abuse and Neglect, later becoming the Director of Children's Institute International
Children's Institute International
Children's Institute International is an anti-child–abuse organization in Los Angeles that was started in 1950 as "The Colleagues" to raise funds for Big Brothers Big Sisters...
(CII). In the time leading up to the McMartin preschool trial, MacFarlane described herself as a psychotherapist but lacked any professional licenses.
Involvement in the McMartin preschool trial
As part of her job at CII, MacFarlane interviewed 400 children for the McMartin preschool trial using anatomically correct dollAnatomically correct doll
An anatomically correct doll or anatomically precise doll is a doll with some of the primary and secondary sex characteristics of a human. In colloquial vernacular it usually refers to the genitals being depicted. This can be for realism or educational purposes, as well as to satisfy inanimate...
s and hand puppets. MacFarlane believed that the children suffered from child sexual abuse accommodation syndrome
Child sexual abuse accommodation syndrome
Child sexual abuse accommodation syndrome is a nondiagnostic syndrome developed by Roland C. Summit in 1983 to describe how he believed sexually abused children responded to ongoing abuse....
, and would deny sexual abuse without special techniques designed to encourage disclosure. The interviewing techniques used during investigations of the allegations were highly suggestive and invited children to pretend or speculate about supposed events. By spring of 1984, it was claimed that 360 children had been abused. Astrid Heppenstall Heger
Astrid Heppenstall Heger
Astrid Heppenstall Heger, M.D. is a Professor of Clinical Pediatrics at the USC Keck School of Medicine and the founder and Executive Director of the Violence Intervention Program at Los Angeles County-USC Medical Center in East Los Angeles....
performed medical examinations and took photos of what she believed to be minute scarring which she stated was caused by anal penetration. Critics have alleged that the questioners asked the children leading question
Leading question
In common law systems that rely on testimony by witnesses, a leading question or suggestive interrogation is a question that suggests the answer or contains the information the examiner is looking for. For example, this question is leading:...
s, repetitively, which, it is said, always yields positive responses from young children, making it impossible to know what the child actually experienced. Others believe that the questioning itself may have led to false memory syndrome among the children who were questioned. Ultimately only 41 of the original 360 children testified during the grand jury and pre-trial hearings, and fewer than a dozen testified during the actual trial.
MacFarlane went on to testify in front of the United States Congress
United States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
that she believed there was an organized, nation-wide conspiracy of individuals sexually abusing children.