Child Abuse Victim 'Manipulated' by Anglican Church

The ABC News
November 19, 2013

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-11-19/child-abuse-victim-manipulated-by-anglican-church/5102050

The Anglican Church's actions in Lismore are the latest focus of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

The royal commission into child sexual abuse has heard a former resident of a children's home in northern New South Wales felt intimidated and manipulated when she raised allegations of abuse with the Anglican Church.

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse yesterday began its latest round of public hearings to examine the alleged sexual and physical abuse of up to 200 children at the North Coast Children's Home in Lismore.

Today the commission heard from a third former resident of the home, and just like those who appeared yesterday she told a story of severe physical and sexual abuse.

The woman did not want to be named or to speak publicly, so instead told her story to the commission through a statement.

It told of the conflicting standards at the home during the 1950s and 1960s, praying in church and then having the minister fondle her.

Decades later she raised the allegations with the Anglican Diocese of Grafton, and it is their response that is the focus of the commission.

The woman said the diocese's response was initially positive but as more former residents came forward she felt the Anglican Church began denying the abuse.

"I felt I had been intimidated and manipulated... I felt that I was being accused of lying," she said through her statement.

The Royal Commission has heard the Anglican church dealt with the allegations of historic sexual abuse at the children's home in a mean-spirited way.

Solicitor Simon Harrison says he had worked on cases of child sexual abuse before, but he was surprised by how the Anglican Diocese of Grafton handled a class action from former residents of the children's home in Lismore who claimed they were physically and sexually abused.

"Perhaps the most scurrilous and mean minded attitude I'd ever come across," he said.

A former staffer of the Diocese also expressed her concern.

Former Registrar Anne Hywood told the Commission that some claims were not dealt with through the proper protocols and she was angry about the way in which some of the alleged victims were treated.

Anglican Church admits to 'failure of love'

Before the public hearing began yesterday the Anglican Church acknowledged it had failed to respond properly to allegations of abuse.

"We allowed ourselves to get caught up in legal responsibilities instead of looking at the people and their needs and in the end for us, it was a failure of love," Reverend David Hanger, chair of the professional standards committee for the diocese of Grafton, said.

In his opening address to the commission yesterday counsel assisting Simeon Beckett said the home was a harsh place for all children living there, with food and clothing limited.

He provided graphic details of some of the assaults that children as young as five suffered at the hands of priests and other residents at the home.

"Those people have said the lifetime effects of the sexual and often physical abuse have been devastating and have had long lasting effects on their mental health and their families," Mr Beckett said.

It is expected seven former residents will give public evidence about the abuse they were subjected to at the home.

The first to give evidence yesterday did not want to reveal his identity, fighting back tears as he told of the long-term impacts of abuse.

"The effects of the home have been with me all my life. I have been diagnosed with depression and have attempted suicide."

The North Coast Children's Home is still owned by the Anglican Church, and it is still operated as a home for troubled youths.