Abuse Victim Wants Vic Govt to Sue Church

9 News
March 25, 2013

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/2013/03/25/19/24/abuse-victim-wants-vic-govt-to-sue-church

A victim of clerical sexual abuse has urged the Victorian government to launch legal action against the Catholic Church.

Chris Whelan, who was a victim of and a witness to abuse while a student at two Melbourne Catholic schools, has asked a parliamentary inquiry to recommend a publicly funded civil lawsuit against the church.

Mr Whelan said victims needed the state government to champion their cause.

"I want this inquiry to come out with an arrowhead for the spear," he told the inquiry into sexual abuse within religious and other organisations on Monday.

"(This is) a strategy for these people to pay due recompense to the survivors."

Mr Whelan said the government should seek a multibillion-dollar compensation payment to buy a new home for each victim.

Earlier on Monday, fellow victim Wayne Davis said the inquiry should recommend the state government apologise for failing to prevent the abuse from occurring.

Mr Davis says he suffered a year of torture at the Morning Star Boys Home in Mornington, during which he was beaten, sexually abused and forced to do manual labour.

Since his ordeal, he had suffered post-traumatic stress disorder and had struggled with alcohol and gambling addictions.

Mr Davis said the state government also needed to be held accountable for failing to act after he raised his concerns in 1967.

"I would like to see ... an unqualified and sincere apology," he told the inquiry.

Mr Davis has received a compensation payout from the church but says he is yet to hear someone say sorry for the treatment he suffered.

"I hope by adding my story to this shameful affair that I can at last find peace in my life," he said.

"What I would like to see come out of this inquiry is that every denomination and institution be held fully responsible for their actions."