Men who were victims of sexual abuse as children while in the care of the Christian Brothers have told a public hearing in Perth that they not only had to go through the trauma of abuse but also the "traumatic" process of trying to receive compensation.
On Tuesday, a man known to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse as 'VV' described sexual and physical abuse he experienced at Bindoon Farm School.
He said he "could not stop trembling" after the first time he was raped by one of the brothers, two weeks after arriving at Bindoon Farm School in 1954 at nine years of age.
VV said the abuse by brothers, priests and other boys continued until he left Bindoon in 1961 but he could not move on from what happened to him.
"People say you can get on with it, lift yourself above it. I tried to do this and I thought I was being successful but always... always in your mind there is the belief that you don't deserve anything good," he told the hearing.
VV said that he did not take part in a class action that many others took against the Catholic Church over the abuse because at the time he "just didn't want to be involved".
Years later he submitted as application as part of the Redress program.
"I found this experience was traumatising," he said.
VV said he felt betrayed when the maximum payment by the West Australian government was offering was reduced from $80,000 to $45,000.
In 2009, with the help of the Child Migrants Trust, he met with the Catholic Churches' Professional Standards Committee.
He said the assistance he received from the Trust, which included help to reconnect with his family, was "tremendous" but his experience dealing with the church were not so.
When he met with the Catholic Church in 2009 - a meeting he described as "traumatising" - he was offered $20,000 in compensation which he said was "insulting".
"I felt so distressed by the process that I accepted the money. I did not understand my rights or the consequences of signing a deed of release.
"It was all very confusing.
"I struggle to understand written communication, such as the details stated on the deed of release that I was told to sign."
VV said he was never told or advised to seek independent legal advice.
"There was no body involved that was impartial or not on the payroll of the church. Even the psychologist I was sent to was associated with the Christian Brothers," he said.
"The Australian government gave an apology, but there was no compensation. Sorry is not just a word. The apology should be backed by something tangible, to state what happened was inexcusable, unforgivable, inappropriate, and completely wrong without honouring victims with suitable appropriate compensation left many feeling betrayed and diminished."
He said he felt like "no one gives a toss about the victims".
