Ballarat Abuse Survivors Face Royal Commission

The ABC News
October 15, 2013

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-10-15/ballarat-abuse-survivors-face-royal-commission/5024636?section=vic

Survivors of clergy abuse in the Victorian city of Ballarat have told their stories to the royal commission.

PETER LLOYD: Over the past fortnight, the Royal Commission into Institutional Child Sexual Abuse has returned to Victoria.

For survivors, being heard can be a healing moment.

Many of those coming forward are from the central Victorian city of Ballarat, where many children were abused in schools and orphanages in the 1970s.

From Ballarat, Kate Stowell reports.

KATE STOWELL: The St Alipius Primary School was one of the first Catholic schools built in Ballarat during the city's famed gold rush era.

But in the 1970s, it became notorious for the sexual and physical abuse of children at the hands of certain priests who ran the school.

Steve was enrolled there as a young boy when his family moved to the area.

STEVE: I originally came from Melbourne with my parents in 1970. We moved to Ballarat East which was only about half a kilometre from St Alipius. I started there in Grade 3 with the Christian Brothers. I was abused by three of those brothers. It started with Brother Fitzgerald in Grade 3, Brother Dowlan in Grade 5 and also Brother Farrell in Grade 5.

KATE STOWELL: He says his memories of the school are harrowing.

STEVE: I was beaten up by several of the Christian Brothers and also physically assaulted by other students who were led on by some of the Christian Brothers. And after that I would be led into a room to be consoled, but it was actually just a ploy to abuse me.

KATE STOWELL: Steve didn't speak about his experience for decades, until in 2004 he met another man who had been abused. That led him to the Catholic Church's Towards Healing process in 2005 and, like many survivors, Steve says he found the compensation and attention he received totally inadequate.

So he made the decision to take the train to Melbourne to face the royal commission in person in a private hearing.

STEVE: I was very nervous when I walked into the building but a chap walked up to us and he said "Are you Steve?" and I said "Yes" and he said "Would you mind sitting down for a couple of minutes?"

Then he escorted us in the elevator up to a private room. He said, "You'll have to wait for a few minutes," which we did, then we were led into another room where the commissioner was sitting there with another lady who was taking notes and I thought that it was quite good, very good, very compassionate and very caring.

KATE STOWELL: Steve says he found support through the Ballarat Centre Against Sexual Assault, a regional counselling service that's helping survivors from St Alipius and elsewhere prepare for the royal commission.

One of the centre's senior counsellors is Andrea Lockhart.

ANDREA LOCKHART: So people come here at various stages in their healing and sometimes it's the first time that they've ever spoken to anybody about it and it can be months or even years. So getting the confidence to speak to one person is part of the process of getting ready to speak to another one if they want to.

But we never push people to do it unless they really want to.

KATE STOWELL: Steve says now he's done his private hearing, he wants to do another public hearing to make sure his story is heard.

STEVE: For me, you just want more people to know about it, and it's something that I'd probably be quite apprehensive about doing but I think that by doing it, you are taking back the power from the perpetrators and giving yourself the power.

KATE STOWELL: Andrea Lockhart says there's no right way to face the commission.

ANDREA LOCKHART: It's really important not to compare yourself and say well that person doing it publicly and I should. I think it's just a really individual choice. The main thing is that they have power and control over what happens because sexual assault is about powerlessness.

And there's no time limit to the time that people can come for support. We know how difficult it is, particularly for men, to speak out, so when they do call we've made it a priority that they won't have to wait.

KATE STOWELL: Steve is now planning further legal action against the church.

STEVE: My next step is to see my lawyer and start proceedings against the church, but the biggest thing is just to know that you've got a future. Twelve months ago I thought I had no future, so you need to see light at the end of the tunnel, and for me, that's what's happening.

PETER LLOYD: That's Ballarat sexual abuse survivor Steve, ending Kate Stowell's report.