Victims Suffered "Terrible Impacts" Attempting to Make Complaints

By Stuart Rintoul
The Australian
November 13, 2012

http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/state-politics/victims-suffered-terrible-impacts-attempting-to-make-complaints/story-e6frgczx-1226515452159

THE Catholic Church's internal inquiry process into sex abuse by the clergy was not only inadequate, it was responsible for further layers of harm, known as "the second wounding", a Victorian inquiry has heard.

Helen Last, director of victims group In Good Faith, accused the church of mismanagement of abuse complaints, neglect of investigations, absence of promised pastoral support, a conflict of interest and lack of information about its inquiries.

Ms Last, commissioned by the church to establish a victim response unit within the Melbourne archdiocese before setting up In Good Faith in 1996, said victims had suffered "terrible impacts" attempting to make complaints against pedophile priests.

"This is called the second wounding, when a victim goes to some place, some person, some organisation, that they believe will really help them, that is set up for them, only to find that it is not set up for them, it is set up for another purpose, which is an institutionally based purpose," she said.