Answering Your Questions on the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse
By Tory Shepherd
LATE last year, a NSW police officer made shocking allegations about child-sex abuse and cover-ups within the Catholic Church and the police force. That started a snowball effect, a rallying cry for a federal Royal Commission to investigate institutional sex abuse once and for all. Within days, Prime Minister Julia Gillard ordered that such a commission be established to investigate child-sex offenders and those who protected them, and those who "averted their eyes" to what was going on. Now The Royal Commission of Inquiry into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has held its first hearing in Melbourne. The original whistleblower, Detective Inspector Peter Fox, meanwhile, has found out he will not be afforded protection. But he warmly welcomed the start of the commission, saying he was "absolutely delighted" that the day had finally come. "A lot of people have been waiting so long for something like this to happen," he said. What's the commission for? There have been state-based investigations into child-sex abuse in the past, such as South Australia's Children in State Care Inquiry, but this will be the first federal royal commission into institutional child-sex abuse. It will "inquire into how institutions with a responsibility for children have managed and responded to allegations and instances of child-sexual abuse", according to its website. Who will the commission investigate? It's not just the Catholic Church in the spotlight, although it was allegations about it that prompted the commission in the first place. After accusations that it would be a "witch hunt", the scope was broadened to include a range of institutions. It can look at any private, public or non-government organisation that has ever been involved with children, including government agencies, schools, sporting clubs, orphanages and foster care and religious organisations. Ms Gillard said she was "very clear that this was about institutional child-sexual abuse". "Of course, there are some matters in the Catholic Church that will, therefore, be the subject of inquiry, but it's not focused on the Catholic Church," she said yesterday. "(We) haven't said this is about one body, one church, one entity; it is about institutional child-sexual abuse." The Catholic Church, the Salvation Army and the NSW Director of Public Prosecutions have already been asked to provide documents. Who will the commission hear from? More than 5000 people are ready to tell the commission their stories, others have registered their interest, and even more are expected to want to participate once the investigations begin. It will hear from victims and the families of victims as well as people from the institutions. How will people tell their stories? More details will be available on the royal commission's website once evidence begins to be heard. The Government has also established a free national legal advisory service to advise people on how to prepare submissions. Two lawyers, Gail Furness and Melinda Richards, will be counsel assisting the commission. Meanwhile, the Catholic Church has also formed a Truth Justice and Healing Council which will oversee its engagement with the royal commission. Council chief executive Francis Sullivan said they were "determined that the truth be told and that the church assists victims, and those damaged by abuse as children receive justice to embark on a sustainable process of healing". "This council will guide the church as it goes through the royal commission, and will approach the task with openness and compassion," Mr Sullivan said. "We accept that the royal commission may well reveal embarrassing and shameful episodes from our past but it is necessary in order for the truth to heal and for the community to see that our engagement is genuine and sincere." What will happen? The National Association of Community Legal Centres will advise people on their civil and criminal options and will help them prepare submissions and tell their stories. Hearings can be public or private. The commission will travel around Australia and there will be a hotline open 12 hours a day to hear from people. Trained counsellors will be available. The royal commission will have an investigations unit and will be able to refer people to police for prosecution. It will also "bear witness" to the trauma suffered by victims and assist with healing and inform reforms to institutions. The commission will not determine whether people are entitled to compensation. How long will it take? Commission chairman Justice Peter McClellan has warned they will already struggle to meet their deadlines because of the immense interest. "It is unlikely that the commission can complete its work within the time frame for the delivery of the final report," he said. The final reporting date was initially set for the end of 2015 but this is subject to the interim report due halfway through next year. Justice McClellan has already warned that the commission will only have a chance to report on six institutions by then. Abuse victims, many of whom have waited decades to tell their stories, have been asked to be patient through the lengthy process - but the commission has said it will not put a time limit on when people can get in touch.
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