N Ireland Child Abuse Victims "Deserve Payouts"

By David Blevins
Sky News
January 13, 2014

http://news.sky.com/story/1194084/n-ireland-child-abuse-victims-deserve-payouts

Victims of historical child abuse at residential homes in Northern Ireland were "destroyed" by the Government and deserve compensation to repair their "broken" lives, their spokeswoman has said.

Margaret McGuckin spoke as the state inquiry into the abuse and neglect of children in care - the largest tribunal of its kind in the UK - held its first public session.

More than 400 people have applied to speak at the Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry, which will investigate allegations made over a 73-year period up to 1995.

It is currently investigating 13 establishments, including Kincora Boys' Home in Belfast, the scene of a notorious sex scandal.

Although three members of staff were convicted in the 1980s, questions remain about who knew what and why the abuse continued.

Margaret McGuckin represents victims of historic institutional abuse

Ms McGuckin, of Survivors NI, a campaign group for victims of institutional abuse, said she felt "like a chained slave" in an orphanage she was placed in when she was three years old.

She said her experience was one of "horror, humiliation and darkness", as well as physical and mental abuse, torture and hunger.

"I always thought there was something wrong with me and that I was the horrible person," she said.

"I was never shown love, comfort or care and I felt as if I didn't belong to society."

She added: "We are broken people. We were destroyed by the Government because they handed us into the care of the religious organisations and various statutory bodies.

"We were not cared for. Our lives were wrecked, broken, and we need compensation to try and repair them in some way."

Posters were used to encourage victims to come forward

The investigation will establish whether there were "systemic failings by institutions or the state in their duties towards those children in their care".

Among the allegations contained in nearly 100,000 pages of evidence include sexual attacks by staff, excessive labour and the placing of some children in cupboards.

The inquiry will begin taking evidence later this month about alleged abuse at two homes run by the Sisters of Nazareth - St Joseph's Home and Nazareth House Children's Home, both in County Londonderry.

The public hearings are expected to continue until June 2015 and under the terms of reference, the inquiry must complete its investigation by mid-summer and submit its report by January 2016.