Vic Catholics to Tell 'Shameful' Truth

By Charisse Ede
The Age
September 21, 2012

www.theaustralian.com.au/news/breaking-news/vic-catholics-to-tell-shameful-truth/story-fn3dxiwe-1226478618470

THE Catholic Church in Victoria says it has upheld more than 600 cases of criminal child abuse by clergy in the past 16 years.

The church says the incidence of abuse has fallen dramatically since "appalling" numbers in the 1960s and 1970s and it has received very few complaints of abuse that has taken place since 1990.

Melbourne Archbishop Denis Hart said sexual abuse in the Catholic Church was "shameful and shocking" and the church would fully co-operate with a Victorian parliamentary inquiry on child abuse.

He said the church's inquiry submission, Facing the Truth, acknowledged the suffering endured by children who had been in the church's care and the church renewed its apology to them.

"In Facing the Truth we have been open about the horrific abuse that has occurred in Victoria and elsewhere," Archbishop Hart said in a statement on Friday.

He said since the Archdiocese of Melbourne introduced policies and procedures for dealing with child sex abuse in 1996 and 1997, the incidence of abuse had fallen dramatically from the "appalling numbers in the 1960s and 1970s".

In the past 16 years about 620 cases of criminal child abuse had been upheld by the church in Victoria, most of which related to incidents between 30 and 80 years ago, he said on behalf of the church's leaders in Victoria.

The church had received very few complaints of abuse that has taken place since 1990, the statement said.

"We look to this inquiry to assist the healing of those who have been abused, to examine the broad context of the church's response, especially over the last 16 years, and to make recommendations to enhance the care for victims and preventative measures that are now in place," Archbishop Hart said.

He said the submission, which will only be made public once the inquiry publishes it on its website, showed how the church of today was committed to facing up to the truth and to not disguising, diminishing or avoiding the actions of those who had betrayed a sacred trust.

The government announced the inquiry into the handling of child abuse by religious and non-government organisations after revelations that at least 40 victims of the Catholic clergy had committed suicide.

But it was criticised for not ordering a royal commission, which some said would have had a better chance of getting to the bottom of the issue.

Submissions to the inquiry closed on Friday with the parliamentary committee chair Georgie Crozier saying hearings were expected to be held in Melbourne and regional areas from October.