Orphan Beaten but Not Sexually Abused

9 News
February 18, 2013

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/2013/02/18/17/02/orphan-beaten-but-not-sexually-abused

A Victorian man who grew up in church-run orphanages says he was beaten and locked in a dark basement by priests and nuns, but never saw any evidence of sexual abuse.

Alan "Charlie" Walker also alleges a man he grew up with had made false claims of sexual abuse to win compensation.

Mr Walker was abandoned at a babies' home in Broadmeadows in Melbourne's north when he was nine days old and lived in several Catholic orphanages in Victoria until the age of 15.

Speaking of mistreatment, such as being caned and locked in a basement for bad behaviour, Mr Walker told the Victorian parliamentary inquiry into sex abuse there had been good and bad in his upbringing.

"Although I was beaten a lot and ill-treated, at least they fed me, gave me a warm bed, hot showers and educated me," Mr Walker told the inquiry in Melbourne on Monday.

"They looked after me. Where would I be today?"

Asked directly if he had ever known of any incidents of sexual abuse during his time in Catholic orphanages, Mr Walker replied: "In my time, no."

He said one man he had grown up with had lied about abuse to claim compensation.

"(He) said that he was sexually abused which I know damn well he wasn't," Mr Walker told the inquiry.

"He got a lot of money out of it."

Mr Walker spoke about being subjected to a litany of mistreatment while growing up.

On one occasion, a priest kicked and beat him after he accidentally hit a fellow student with a pick while digging, Mr Walker said.

He said the priest dragged him away to beat and kick him.

"He picked me up and threw me to the ground," Mr Walker said.

He also spoke of a time a nun locked him away to punish him.

"She dragged me by the hair and put me in a dark basement," he said.

He estimates he spent three days in the basement, during which time he was not fed or given any medical treatment.

He said he felt insects crawling on him and was bitten by a rat.

"I've still got the scar," he said.

Another time a worker grabbed him, stuffed him into a bag and threatened to throw him into the river, he said.