Victorian Sex Abuse Inquiry Moves to Ballarat

ABC - PM
December 7, 2012

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2012-12-07/victorian-sex-abuse-inquiry-moves-to-ballarat/4415880?section=vic

[with audio]

The Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into the handling of the Sexual Abuse of Children has heard evidence in Ballarat where several paedophile priests have served. Victims and their families and supporters have told the inquiry that bishops were aware some priests were prone to abusing children but simply moved them to different parishes.

MARK COLVIN: Victoria's inquiry into the handling of child sexual abuse has heard more harrowing stories of clerical abuse today.

For the first time, the inquiry sat outside Melbourne in the Victorian town of Ballarat.

Police are investigating whether dozens of suicides in the town can be directly linked to abuse suffered at the hands of Catholic clergy.

Samantha Donovan reports.

SAMANTHA DONOVAN: The Victorian town of Ballarat gained fame as a booming gold rush town in the 1850s. But now it's also notorious as having been home to several paedophile priests.

One abuse victim, Philip Nagle, gave evidence at today's inquiry.

PHILIP NAGLE: Ballarat's St Alipius Primary School in Victoria Street was certainly not the place to be if you were a Catholic boy going to school in the 1970s.

The principal and grade six teacher was convicted paedophile, Christian Brother Robert Charles Best.

Grade five teacher was convicted paedophile Christian Brother Stephen Francis Farrell. Grade five in 1971 before Farrell was convicted paedophile Christian Brother Edward Vernon Dowlan.

Grade three teacher was alleged paedophile Christian Brother Fitzgerald, who passed away before any charges were laid.

St Alipius Primary School Chaplain and assistant Catholic priest was convicted paedophile Gerald Francis Risdale.

SAMANTHA DONOVAN: Philip Nagle described what Brother Farrell did to him when he was in grade five.

PHILIP NAGLE: He pinned me down on the ground and he pulled my pants down and he sexually assaulted me.

So from that time forward, I was always aware of where he was and I didn't know, all I knew it was just horrible. I just didn't want to be there and he'd take his glasses off, his stinky breath. I just didn't want to be there, so all I did from then on in was work out that if I keep away from him or always have an escape route or don't let him get me cornered anywhere that this probably wouldn't happen.

And you know there was times in that classroom when he would take other kids out of the room and I'd be going, "I'm glad it's not me", because I knew what would be happening to them.

SAMANTHA DONOVAN: Mr Nagle said the compensation and support the Catholic Church offers victims is inadequate.

PHILIP NAGEL: Giving my experience of this, I was intimidated and bullied into signing an agreement that was on their terms. They didn't care. They just wanted me to go away.

There was no compassion or care in the way they did this. They just wanted to tick their box and minimise the impact it had for them. It was made very clear to me that if I did not sign and agree to their terms that they would have any compensation claim tied up in the courts for many years.

It was even implied that what happened to me was not so bad.

SAMANTHA DONOVAN: Victorian Police are investigating whether as many as 43 suicides can be linked to clerical sexual abuse.

Philip Nagle told the inquiry today that more than 30 of those deaths were among former schoolboys of the St Alipius parish.

Mr Nagle received a round of applause as he finished his evidence saying he couldn't forget or forgive his abuse.

Helen Watson's son, Peter, committed suicide in 1999 at the age of 24.

Mrs Watson told the inquiry her son was abused by Father Paul David Ryan eight years earlier when he was 15.

She said Ryan was found guilty of numerous charges of sexual assault involving other boys in 2006 and was sent to jail.

Mrs Watson is adamant that Ryan was moved from parish to parish by the Catholic Church and even to the United States.

HELEN WATSON: The church does not care about me, the loss of my son and my struggle with the sexual abuse of Peter. Certainly no care or interest shown for Peter's abuse and subsequent tragic journey that led to a very short life.

The church protected this sex offender and the church hierarchy. Why? To save the reputation of the church.

SAMANTHA DONOVAN: Helen Watson made a number of suggestions for change to the inquiry, including the immediate standing down of clergy if allegations are made against them, the comprehensive assessment of the suitability of applicants for the priesthood and the mandatory reporting of all allegations.

Mrs Watson said families of victims who've died are in an unfair situation.

HELEN WATSON: I believe there's a gap in the system where Ryan cannot be convicted for his criminal behaviour against Peter, my son, because Peter is deceased.

I ask this committee to look into what legislation needs to be implemented so that families can seek justice on behalf of the deceased victim.

SAMANTHA DONOVAN: Carmel Moloney is in a group that supports victims and their families.

Ms Moloney says she has no doubt bishops knew some priests in the Ballarat diocese had paedophile tendencies.

CARMEL MOLONEY: Was just not what I hear, it's what I know because even going back to the first bishop that (inaudible) he was aware that Gerald Ridsdale had a bit of a problem but he decided to give the lad a go.

And then when Gerald Ridsdale was in Inglewood, a sergeant and a detective went to Bishop Mulkearns and told him that there was a problem so he shifted him, from Inglewood, to Edenhope and there's 12 families over there that have just been demolished.

MARK COLVIN: That's Carmel Maloney, a supporter of victims of Catholic clerical abuse, ending Samantha Donovan's report.