Child sex abuse victim ignored by police, royal commision told; Christian Brothers issue apology

By Irena Ceranic
ABC News
April 30, 2014

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-04-30/royal-commission-child-sexual-abuse-victim-ignored-by-police/5421060?§ion=news

A woman holds a sign outside a hearing of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses into Child Sexual Abuse in Perth.

A man sexually abused in a church-run institution was ignored by police and warned he would be charged if he continued to make abuse allegations, a royal commission has heard.

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse entered its third day of hearings in Perth today.

Edward Delaney was a child migrant from England when he was sent to a Christian Brothers institution at Castledare, and then sent on to Bindoon.

He has told the commission he was physically and sexually abused by the brothers at Bindoon over a prolonged period.

"I felt despair and like I could not go on," Mr Delaney said.

"At the age of nine I started to think about killing myself."

He said when he was 10 or 11 one of the brothers broke his fingers by hitting him repeatedly with a leather strap.

He also described how he was sexually abused by the priest and one of the brothers.

Mr Delaney told the commission he went to a police station in Mount Lawley when he was 18, but officers did not believe his story and told him if he continued to make the allegations, he would be charged.

He has questioned why the state government never checked up on him and the other boys at the school.

"Why were we never looked at by the government? Why were we never, even after leaving the orphanage, checked up to see how we are?"

"I believe the Australian government neglected its responsibility."

Despite his ordeal, Mr Delaney described himself as a mentally strong person who has led a successful life.

Late today the Christian Brothers issued a statement acknowledging the "intense, raw and deeply moving" testimony given in Perth and reiterating its apology.

"What occurred at Castledare, Bindoon, Tardun and Clontarf is of the deepest shame to current Christian Brothers," the statement said.

"We will never defend the indefensible.

"To the survivors of abuse in those four institutions, we reiterate our apology first made in 1993.

"This apology endures and will never be rescinded."

The statement said the Christian Brothers was committed to helping the survivors get redress and healing.

"While what has happened cannot be changed, we will continue to seek to work with all victims, responding to individual needs and circumstances with compassion, care and respect."

The hearing, which commenced on Monday, is set to run over a two-week period.

It will hear from victims of abuse, government departments and representatives of the Christian Brothers.