By Chris Day
City Messenger
April 9, 2008
http://www.citymessenger.com.au/article/2008/04/08/4455_city_news.html
BOYS living in a North Adelaide State Government hostel were raped by staff and other boys and groomed for sex by outsiders, the Mullighan Inquiry was told.
Seven people said they were sexually abused while living at Stuart House Boys Hostel, Hill St, between the early 1960s and late 1980s.
Two other men also reported being sexually abused as children at the former hostel during the 1990s, by then known as the North Adelaide Community Unit.
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| EXPOSED: Stuart House at North Adelaide. |
One man told the inquiry he was placed at the hostel in the early 1980s, aged 11, and was soon being plied with drugs and sexually abused by an older boy.
He said during his stay at the hostel he was "befriended" by a man from an unnamed religious organisation, who would take him to his home, churches, and the parklands and sexually abuse him.
On one occasion, the man took him to a church where he was viciously raped by another man.
The abuse happened up to three times a week and was not reported by the victim at the time.
Another victim told the inquiry he was raped by a psychologist at the hostel in the 1980s, when he was aged 14.
He reported the abuse to another staff member but was ignored.
"He smacked me in the mouth and I got a week's punishment," the victim told the inquiry.
In another incident, a 14-year-old boy said he was raped in the hostel's showers by a member of staff.
The victim told the inquiry he reported the crime to a staff member only to be told: "well, if I was you, I'd keep my mouth shut or else there's plenty more of that."
Six allegations were made to the inquiry by former residents of the Anglican Church's Walkerville boys home, Kennion House, which closed in 1984.
They included sexual abuse by staff, other boys and visitors.
Five allegations of sexual abuse were made by former residents of the Salvation Army Boys Home, in Kent Town.
The incidents happened in the 1950s and 60s and implicated a staff member, other residents, visitors and people outside the home.
Contact: dayc@mng.newsltd.com.au
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