Church urges abuse victims to adopt mediation over litigation

ABC News
March 16, 2014

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-03-17/church-urges-abuse-victims-to-adopt-mediation-over/5325022?section=sa

[with audio]

Francis Sullivan is the chief executive of the Truth, Justice and Healing Council which is coordinating the Catholic Church's response to the Royal Commission. He spoke to AM about the about the St Ann's case.

Transcript

CHRIS ULHMANN: Francis Sullivan is the chief executive of the Truth, Justice and Healing Council which is coordinating the Catholic Church's response to the Royal Commission.

He spoke with Samantha Donovan about the St Ann's case.

FRANCIS SULLIVAN: This is a horrible case and the Church's handling in all its detail, forensic detail needs to be examined.

SAMANTHA DONOVAN: One parent who AM has spoken to has an online petition with 88,000 signatures calling on the Church to settle his son's compensation claim; why hasn't the church settled the claim all these years later?

FRANCIS SULLIVAN: I'm not quite sure but one thing's very important, is that litigation isn't the way to best address sex abuse cases and I hope that all the families that have an action against the Church can take up the offer of getting into mediation so that compensation and settlement can happen quickly, not be in a protracted adversarial litigation process.

SAMANTHA DONOVAN: It's been more than 12 years though since some of these families lodged their claims for compensation, why is the Church taking so long?

FRANCIS SULLIVAN: I think the time period that this has taken is a matter of concern and again, the Church needs to explain how it has taken so long to get everything organised and addressed.