Submission Wanted for Clergy Abuse Report

The Standard
June 20, 2012

http://www.standard.net.au/news/local/news/general/submission-wanted-for-clergy-abuse-report/2596142.aspx

SOUTH-WEST Victorian families still haunted by sexual abuses by Catholic clergy have been given a new high-level avenue to air their concerns.

A special family and community development committee set up by the Baillieu government has called for submissions to help prepare a report on the issue for Parliament.

It will look at practices, policies and protocols in religious and other non-government organisations for handling allegations of criminal abuse of children including measures put in place in response to concerns.

Warrnambool's Ann Ryan, a former teacher who waged a long battle with Catholic Church leaders over their lack of pastoral responsibility in dealing with abuses, welcomed the call for submissions.

"I'd certainly be interested in writing to the committee and would encourage others to also become involved," Mrs Ryan told The Standard.

"It's really about justice for the victims and their families.

"Just being believed and having the issues acknowledged is important because lives were absolutely wrecked by these abuses."

Mrs Ryan was a teacher-librarian at Mortlake when the now-jailed Gerald Ridsdale was parish priest in the early 1980s.

It came to light much later that he groomed primary school boys for sexual abuse.

Police investigations showed he and other priests and teaching brothers engaged in paedophile activities at other south-west Victorian parishes in the 1970s and '80s.

Some victims later took their own lives.

Committee chairman Georgie Crozier said yesterday the inquiry would not encroach on responsibilities of investigatory agencies or courts regarding certain cases or prejudice investigations of court proceedings.

The committee's terms of reference also covers whether there are systematic practices to preclude or discourage reporting of suspected criminal abuse of children to state authorities.

It will also look at whether changes to law or practices, policies of protocol was needed to help prevent further abuses and deal with allegations.

Submissions close on August 31. Details are on the committee's website