Ijackson's Widow Welcomes Royal Commission into Child Abuse

By Natalie Poyhonen
ABC Grandstand Sport
November 22, 2012

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-11-23/ijacksons-widow-welcomes-royal-commission-into/4388734?section=sport

[with audio]

Peter Jackson was a star of rugby league in the 1980s and 90s, representing Australia and wearing the Maroon for Queensland. But in 1997 Jackson described in a letter the mental anguish he couldn't shake throughout his life: he was sexually abused as a child. His wife Siobhan Jackson has agreed to read from the letter because, she says, his words have extra significance as Australia prepares for the royal commission into child abuse.

Transcript

ASHLEY HALL: The widow of the former NRL star Peter Jackson says authorities must learn from the past and provide comprehensive support for victims who come forward at next year's royal commission into child abuse.

While Peter Jackson was a champion sportsman, off the field he was crippled by the sexual abuse he endured as a schoolboy.

Siobhan Jackson says her husband struggled with memories of sexual abuse memories that were triggered by publicity surrounding the Wood Royal Commission's investigations into paedophiles.

Natalie Poyhonen has this report. ...

SIOBHAN JACKSON: One of the powerful things about Peter's story is that it's not about one institution, it's over institutions. It's about a Catholic brother who was working in an Anglican boarding school, who was a football coach. So that's just a few of the institutions where these perpetrators managed to hide.

NATALIE POYHONEN: Siobhan Jackson says the commission is going to be hard for abuse victims and their families but she believes it will be worth it.