Salvation Army Expresses Sadness after Death of Child Sexual Abuse Victim
By Thomas Oriti
The Salvation Army has expressed its sadness after the death of a man who was sexually abused during his time at a children's home run by the organisation. The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse is examining Salvation Army boys homes in New South Wales and Queensland. Cases in the 1960s and 1970s are the primary focus of the inquiry. The Chair of the Commission, Justice Peter McClellan, opened today's hearing by expressing his condolences to the family of Lewis Blayse. Mr Blayse was abused as a boy in the Alkira home at Indooroopilly in Queensland between 1958 and 1960 and helped to raise awareness of the issue. He died of a heart attack on Friday night. "His experience led him to become a strong voice for the victims of child sexual abuse, and he contributed significantly to the community concerns which led to the creation of this Royal Commission," Justice McClellan told the hearing. Counsel representing the Salvation Army, Kate Eastman SC, also expressed her sympathies. "We acknowledge his very strong advocacy on behalf of the residents and we express on behalf of the Army condolences to Mr Blayse's family and friends," she said. The Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests has released a statement, saying Mr Blayse "gave up a PHD and promising career in science to focus instead on justice for the children no-one loved, no-one protected and Australia forgot". The Alkira home is one of four homes being investigated, along with the Riverview Training Farm in Queensland, the Bexley Boys Home in Sydney and the Gill Memorial Home at Goulburn in southern New South Wales. Victim told to 'get on with it' when mother died A former resident of the Bexley Boys Home has recalled being told to "shut up and get on with it" after his mother died. Kevin Marshall arrived at the home as a six year-old boy in 1966. His mother died in February 1967 of a drug overdose. "I was basically denied a chance to grieve," Mr Marshall told the hearing. "I was obviously crying. "A small boy, very upset, very distraught." Mr Marshall then gave evidence that he was sexually and physically abused by both Salvation Army officers and non-Salvation Army members working at the home, until he left as a 14-year-old boy. The inquiry has also heard from a man who arrived at the Gill Memorial Home as a four-year-old boy in 1966. He has burst into tears while recalling being cornered and raped by an older boy when he was seven-years-old. "I am not sure that I knew at the time what sexual abuse was and was not," he said. "I was very young and I never had any sex education or discussions about sex." The man revealed that two years later, he decided to become a junior solider with the Salvation Army so he could play the cornet in the Army band. He recalls being treated differently by senior officers as a result and was "better protected". "I did not at all get physically or sexually abused when I put that uniform on," he said. He remains a member of the Salvation Army, describing the organisation as his "rock" and "family". Salvation Army takes action The public hearing has already prompted the Salvation Army to take action against one of its retired officers. Late last week, Major John McIver was suspended from the organisation pending further investigations. The Sydney man denies sexually assaulting boys at Bexley and Indooroopilly in the 1960s and 1970s. Kevin Marshall also named Mr McIver as one of two men who informed him of his mother's death in 1967. He retired in 2004. Two of the other accused officers have died, and the other two were dismissed from the Salvation Army in 1974 and 2005. The hearing continues.
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