Salvation Army Backs National Scheme to Redress Abuse of Children

The Guardian
February 9, 2014

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/feb/10/salvation-army-backs-redress-abuse-scheme

Salvation Army commissioner James Condon leaves the inquiry in Sydney. Photograph: Dean Lewins/AAP

The Salvation Army is willing to discuss being part of a national redress scheme for victims of child sexual and physical abuse in its homes.

Commissioner James Condon, head of the army’s eastern territory, told the royal commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse it already had a People First redress program in place.

However, he said the Salvation Army would take part in talks on a national scheme, proposed by the Catholic and Anglican churches.

“We are more than prepared to enter into dialogue regarding that,” Condon told the hearing in Sydney on Monday in reply to a question from commission chair Justice Peter McClellan.

The commission has heard the Salvation Army has unreservedly apologised to victims of abuse.

But Condon said there were still victims who found it difficult to approach the Salvation Army.

“There are people in the hearing room here who find it difficult to see the [Salvation Army] uniform and that makes me sad”, he said.

“We invite all who were harmed to get in touch with us”.

Justice McClellan asked if the Salvation Army would accept legal responsibility for illegal acts.

In the past two weeks, the commission has heard accounts of sexual and physical abuse by Salvation Army officers at four boys’ homes in NSW and Queensland. They include the Bexley home for boys in south Sydney and the Gill Memorial Home in Goulburn as well as the Alkira home in Indooroopilly and a training farm in Riverview, Queensland.

Condon replied: “Yes, we will accept that responsibility”.

However, the Salvation Army was set up as a charitable trust and did not employ its officers, leaving open the question of liability.

This is also the situation with the Catholic and Anglican churches, which have disputed liability when it comes to compensating victims.

Justice McClellan asked if the Salvation Army’s insurer would prevent it from accepting responsibility.

Condon said he would need to get more information.

Earlier on Monday, Condon said the Salvation Army would not contest liability if victims came forward.

Of 157 abuse claims made in the past 10 to 12 years, 133 resulted in ex-gratia payments and six claimants received apologies and counselling help. Eight were rejected after investigations and some claimants lost contact.

The Salvation Army no longer runs children’s homes in Australia but is involved in foster care services and events, such as summer camps for underprivileged children.

The transparency of its redress program, which requires abuse survivors to sign a deed of release, has been questioned.

Justice McClellan asked why those receiving compensation were required to stay silent on the amount.

Condon said it was put in place to stop people comparing abuse and payouts.

He said the organisation’s personal standards office, which carried out basic investigations, had a formula to calculate payouts although this information was not available to victims.

Pressed on the issue of transparency by the commission, Condon said: “I am happy to look at that”.