Royal Commission into Child Sexual Abuse Hears More Harrowing Evidence against Anglican Diocese of Grafton
By Matthew Benns
THE whoosh of the riding crop and the screams of the children echoed through the corridors of the Anglican Church children's home, the royal commission into child sexual abuse heard yesterday. "I remember hearing the whoosh of the riding crop every time Matron hit the child," a victim from the former North Coast Children's Home in Lismore said in a statement read to the commission. "The whoosh noise filled me with intense fear," said the victim, who can only be identified as CM. Matron Jean O'Neill would take children into her office and close the door. "I heard her whipping children in her office with the crop and the children screaming. "I would be whipped for the most trivial things like not using my manners," said CM, who was seven when first whipped with the leather covered, steel riding crop. "It would leave red marks, bruises and cuts on me which sometimes took two weeks to heal." Children at Anglican children's home physically and sexually abused by clergy and staff Another victim, identified as CD, said in a statement that he was six when he went to the home to begin a cycle of physical, sexual and psychological abuse. "I also saw other children being sexually abused. I once saw a group of about five older boys pin down one of the young girls who lived in the home, and they all raped her," he said. CD was told he would be bashed if he spoke up. "The girl was there, naked and crying, and I couldn't do or say anything." When he finally left he was shown a bag full of letters and presents by his district officer. "He told me that they were things - gifts and letters - that people had sent to me while I was at the home. Miss O'Neill had kept them all locked away from me in the office." The royal commission is examining the response of the Anglican Diocese of Grafton to the claims of child abuse at the Lismore home. Solicitor Simon Harrison experienced that response during a two-day meeting with the Diocese of Grafton's former registrar Rev Pat Comben. Mr Harrison led the negotiations for compensation for a group of more than 40 victims of abuse at the home. "When I walked into the room (Rev Comben) was sitting on a chair with his hands behind his head and his feet up, which I interpreted as being something of a machismo role that he was trying to play out," said Mr Harrison. "He was showing a level of disrespect that I had not come across in negotiations previously." Mr Harrison said he also unsuccessfully attempted to engage head of the Anglican Church Rev Dr Phillip Aspinall in the negotiations. "I wasn't picking up on any moral imperative to try and settle these matters," said Mr Harrison. "I think there was probably a PR imperative to be seen to provide some response to me." Eventually the church agreed to a payout that came to just $10,000 for each of the claimants after costs. Three others choose to fight on and were joined by three more claimants whose appeals for compensation were rejected by the diocese, which indicated that it's one off payment had settled the matter. "The abuse had taken place over a period of 48 years and even on the evidence that we had received of 12 potential abusers our view was that this potentially was just the tip of the iceberg," said Mr Harrison. The victims were far from happy with the response from the Anglican Church. CD said: "I am not settled with the amount that I settled for. "I have lived with the impact of the abuse for nearly thirty years of my life. I want someone to be held responsible for it, to be accountable. "I feel like the Church has given me the money and told me to shut up and go away." Another victim, identified as CN, said her treatment during the compensation case was "like being raped all over again." "So it made me feel just like I felt when I was in the Home, like I was lying and worthless."
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