Inquiry into child sexual abuse finds Christian Brothers avoided scrutiny

ABC NEWS (Australia)

A parliamentary committee inquiry into child sexual abuse has found the Christian Brothers avoided public scrutiny and hid information on the abuse of children under their care.

Transcript

00:00The inquiry found institutions prioritised survival and financial well-being over the

00:07needs of those who'd been abused.

00:09It is the conspiracy of secrecy and institutional denial around abuse that not only adds to

00:16the trauma suffered by those who are abused, but also obstructs their path to justice.

00:23It wants better resourcing for support services and the government and institutions to publicly

00:28name abusers.

00:29It's empowering.

00:31Without that, a lot of this would stay secret.

00:33There's a bow wave of the survivors of child abuse who haven't been able to come forward

00:39and only now are feeling able to do that.

00:42The Royal Commission into Child Sexual Abuse found that the Catholic Church and the Christian

00:46Brothers in particular were disproportionately represented in child sexual abuse claims.

00:52But the Christian Brothers refused to appear before this parliamentary inquiry or give

00:56any information about the abusers who worked at their schools and institutions across WA.

01:02Their reasons for doing so were not just lacking in credibility, but were frankly offensive.

01:07The actions of the Christian Brothers suggest a deliberate attempt to shield themselves

01:11from the consequences of their past action.

01:13The inquiry also wants to give Indigenous people placed in family care by the government

01:18access to the National Redress Scheme.

01:20They are the most disadvantaged survivors I have ever worked with and we'd love to see

01:26them get justice.

01:28And a recommendation for institutions to set up outreach programs to encourage victims

01:33to come forward, particularly in schools where the Christian Brothers operated.

01:37If they do not do that, they are complicit in the abuse that took place at their schools.

01:44I implore Archbishop Costello to get on the right side of history and walk alongside survivors.

01:50The Catholic Church apologised to victims and says it will consider the recommendations.

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