Abuse Inquiry Needs Swift Action

By Paul Mulvey
Adelaide Now
October 18, 2012

http://www.adelaidenow.com.au/news/breaking-news/abuse-inquiry-needs-swift-action/story-e6frea7l-1226498681085

MORE victims of church sexual abuse will kill themselves unless Victoria's parliamentary inquiry acts swiftly to protect the men who still contemplate suicide every day, one campaigner fears.

Up to 50 men taught in the 1960s and 70s by convicted pedophiles Brother Robert Best, Brother Edward Dowlan, Brother Stephen Farrell and Father Gerald Ridsdale at Catholic schools in Ballarat and elsewhere in Victoria have taken their own lives and many more former students suffer from the long term impact of abuse.

Survivor Peter Blenkiron says the inquiry into the handling of child abuse by religious organisations, which opens on Friday, cannot afford to take too long to recommend action and has called for a government-run, church-funded support system to help keep these men alive.

"What I'm worried about is that it'll take too long and people will die before there's any sort of resolution," he said.

"It's happening right now, blokes are thinking of suicide as we speak, they're on the edge now.

"Some have had their stomachs pumped, some have been cut down from trees.

"Some of them have said once their surviving parent passes away, then they'll kill themselves.

"The church says today it's reacting to the horrendous actions of the past. The horrendous actions of today are what they need to face.

"I know that this time next year some of these guys I know will be dead because the battle is there constantly and they'll give in.

"If we can get something happening, they won't be dead this time next year."

Mr Blenkiron is one of 32 men, the Survivors of Ballarat, who lodged a joint submission to the inquiry which is due to report back to parliament next April.

In his individual submission, he is calling for a Clergy Related Injury (CRI) support system, similar to the Total and Permanently Incapacitated (TPI) pension given to war veterans.

While the government should run the scheme, Mr Blenkiron says it must be paid for by the Catholic Church in Australia, or even the Vatican, to provide financial support and counselling for the men who, decades after being abused, endure drug and alcohol problems, can't hold down jobs or relationships, struggle to pay rent and still suffer physical and mental pain.

He says while the taxpayer is paying for pedophiles such as Best and Ridsdale to be kept in prison, the Christian Brothers are housing and feeding Dowlan at one of their facilities in Melbourne and the church has spent millions defending its members, the victims are neglected.

"We just want these blokes that are virtually living in the gutter, that are struggling to pay the rent, to be at the same level of human dignity as the bloody pedophiles, the people that raped them as children," he said.

"The people who shifted these bastards around have a responsibility to make sure the victims are kept to at least the same level as the perpetrators. That's pretty simple."

Mr Blenkiron called on Australia's senior Catholic, Cardinal George Pell, to back the scheme.

"They need to put in a support system that keeps these people alive and if George Pell doesn't support that, he doesn't care that people are dying," he said.

The inquiry has received hundreds of submissions, among them a 148-page report from the Catholic Church entitled Facing the Truth in which it says its early response to abuse was inadequate and too slow.

A submission from victims support group Broken Rites makes many damning accusations, including against the Hospitaller Order of St John of God which it claims had a ring of pedophiles inflicting "horrific" abuse on residents of its Melbourne boys homes.

In its submission, the Salvation Army admits abuse is a source of shame to the organisation, while the Jewish community, Anglican church, Catholic community groups and legal bodies have also made submissions.

Victoria's deputy police commissioner Graham Ashton is to give evidence on Friday and is expected to reinforce the police submission which slammed the Catholic church for covering up abuse.

* Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 or MensLine Australia 1300 78 99 78.