Church Sex Abuse Victim Calls for Compensation to Be Monitored

Courier Mail
December 7, 2012

http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/national/church-sex-abuse-victim-calls-for-compensation-to-be-monitored/story-fndo1wyv-1226532350184

A VICTIM of a paedophile priest who was "bullied" into accepting meagre compensation has told a parliamentary inquiry into church abuse that all cases of payouts should be reviewed by an independent authority.

As the inquiry headed by state MPs visits Ballarat where a "paedophile cluster" operated in the 1970s, a victims' group has also called for a card scheme to be introduced so the Catholic Church can foot the bill for ongoing costs and distress.

Speaking at the inquiry this morning Philip Nagle, who was sexually assaulted by clergyman Stephen Francis Farrell at a Ballarat primary school as a nine-year-old in 1974, said the Catholic Church had coerced him and his family into signing release papers.

"We felt like we had no other choice," he said.

"It was just wrong. They were just ticking the box - they just wanted me to go away."

Mr Nagle said the school was "not the place to be" for a young boy in the 1970s with several paedophiles active around that time.

Mr Nagle said authorities were aware of 26 suicides related to abuse in the area, and that compensation cases need to be reviewed en masse to correct injustices.

Outside the hearing a victims' group know as The Survivors released a statement calling for a card benefit scheme for abuse survivors to pay legal and other costs.

"Many victims of clergy child sexual abuse are no longer able to work due to trauma associated with their abuse," the statement said.

"Meanwhile the perpetrators... are supported by the Catholic Church with their living expenses."

The group said known victims should be given a special card to receive services similar to a veterans' card but paid for by the church.

The inquiry continues this afternoon and will return to Ballarat in early 2013 to hear from more victims.