By George Conger
Religous Intelligence (United Kingdom)
June 21, 2008
http://www.religiousintelligence.co.uk/news/?NewsID=2194
AUSTRALIA: The premier of South Australia has offered a formal apology on behalf of the government and the Anglican, Roman Catholic and other churches to children in foster care who suffered abuse at the hands of sexual predators.
Australian apology over child care scandal
 |
On June 17 Premier Mike Rann read the joint apology before the state parliament saying the government and churches acknowledged that "that some children and young people who were placed in our care suffered abuse that has impacted their lives. This should never have happened."
"We are sorry and we express deep regret for the pain and the hurt that they experienced through no fault of their own. To all those who experienced abuse in state care, we are sorry. To those who witnessed these abuses, we say sorry. To those who were not believed, when trying to report these abuses, we say sorry," Mr. Rann said.
Widespread abuse of children, placed in foster care in church and government homes, was documented in an inquiry led by former Supreme Court Judge Ted Mullighan, which found that hundreds of young people had been abused while in foster care from the 1930's to the present day.
In April, the Archbishop of Adelaide, Dr. Jeffrey Driver, said he was "deeply saddened by the extent of abuse" revealed by the Mullighan report. "I acknowledge, with deep regret, that some of that abuse occurred in institutions run by the Anglican Church in South Australia," he said in a statement.
"Without reservation, I repeat our apology to victims of sexual abuse. Sexual abuse is always intolerable. When it is perpetrated by a person holding a sacred trust it is particularly repugnant," Dr. Driver said.
Any original material on these pages is copyright © BishopAccountability.org 2004. Reproduce freely with attribution.