Catholic Church in Australia Confirms Hundreds of Children Abused by Clergy

Sky Valley Chronicle
September 22, 2012

http://www.skyvalleychronicle.com/FEATURE-NEWS/CATHOLIC-CHURCH-IN-AUSTRALIA-CONFIRMS-HUNDREDS-OF-CHILDREN-ABUSED-BY-CLERGY-GOING-BACK-DECADES-1124321


(MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA) -- In yet another horrific tale of child sexual abuse at the hands of clergy, the Roman Catholic Church in the Australian state of Victoria has confirmed that more than 600 children have been sexually abused by priests going back to the 1930s.

According to published reports, the number of confirmed abuse cases within the church were released to a state investigation into the handling of abuse cases by religious and non-government organizations.

In the release of information church officials said the 620 cases went back 80 years but the majority of cases took place between the 1960s and the 1980s.

A report by The Saturday Age (theage.com) newspaper in Victoria says all but 13 of the cases were before 1990.

The four Victorian dioceses of the church gave a joint report on the abuse cases to the State Parliament inquiry on Friday.

Church spokesman Father Shane Mackinlay said church officials are investigating another 45 cases, though not all involved children.

The church launched a website Friday dedicated to the ongoing inquiry and to help victims get the help they need. The site is www.facingthetruth.org.au

The Saturday Age report quoted Judy Courtin, a lawyer representing several of the abused victims as saying that, according to the Victorian Law Reform Commission, only one in 10 victims ever came forward, suggesting a real victim toll closer to 6,500 victims of clergy abuse in the state of Victoria alone.

Father Mackinlay told the newspaper, "There are 1.5 million Catholics in Victoria, and they all have a stake, they are all affected and many know victims. The message I hear consistently is that hiding behind closed doors makes the problem worse."

In a joint statement about their report on the cases, called Facing the Truth, the four Victorian diocesan bishops say they will co-operate fully with the state probe and that they have been open about the abuse that went on in the church.

They also say they will waive any confidentiality requirements victims may have signed.