Praise for Child Sex Abuse Info Centre

ABC News
April 26, 2013

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-04-26/praise-for-child-sex-abuse-info-centre/4652356

A Church counsellor has praised an information centre set-up to allow people to come forward in the lead-up to a probe into sexual abuse by Hunter Valley priests.

The Special Commission of Inquiry was triggered by allegations made by Chief Inspector Peter Fox that police were pressured to close investigations into abuse by two Maitland-Newcastle Catholic Diocese priests.

The information centre opens for the last time on May 5, and aims to give people the opportunity to speak confidentially to members of the Inquiry team.

The Church's co-ordinator of healing and support Maureen O'Hearn says she has helped around a dozen people through that process.

"Everyone I've been with has found the experience to be really positive," she said.

"They've found the people at the Commission to be really respectful and warm and very supportive.

"Yes, for all the people I've accompanied, it's been a very positive experience and they've felt very acknowledged and very validated by that experience."

Ms O'Hearn says the local information centre has proved crucial in allowing people to tell their story in the lead-up to the Special Commission.

"This has worked," she said.

"Having those information centres, and having them so well publicised, has certainly made it easier for people just to go, basically, to a shopfront in Wallsend.

"It has made it very accessible and much less threatening, so I think that all of those things have really helped and really encouraged people to tell their story."

The Special Commission of Inquiry's public hearings begin in Newcastle on May 6.