COLUMN: Exposing abusers must give victims new hope

By Steve Lowe
Bedfordshire Sunday
July 13, 2014

http://www.bedfordshire-news.co.uk/Blogs/Steve-Lowe/COLUMN-Exposing-abusers-must-give-victims-new-hope-20140713091500.htm

AT long last there could be hope for those historically abused at a former Catholic boys home.

The Government, under pressure itself, is setting up an inquiry into historic abuse.

And the current Pope has also promised to listen and act on allegations of abuse by Catholic priests. St Francis Home, in Shefford, took boys from across the county and wider, where, instead of being cared for, they were systematically abused, both physically and sexually.

While we have been reporting this for more than a decade, so far no arm of the Establishment has taken any action.

They told us of a paedophile ring, which we reported and the Establishment ignored. They told us that at some homes, not necessarily St Francis, boys were ‘hired out’ to paedophiles, some of whom were high ranking and famous, which we reported and the Establishment ignored.

This newspaper also demonstrated that Savile visited the home. Two did take legal action and won out of court settlements. And many of them are currently taking out a class action against the Catholic Church. The police are also investigating claims of abuse, for the third time, but it does not look hopeful.

The Catholic Church has never really commented, other than it cannot comment.

I did once doorstep one of the abusers, Father John Ryan, who also would not comment. He has since died. This newspaper and me personally have been called scum for raising these matters and refusing to let the abuse of hundreds of boys fade away.

Still some of these men, now in their middle age, still suffer the agonies and ‘traumatic emotional turmoil’, to quote one of them.

And many of them, as grown men are embarrassed and ashamed of what was done to them. Historically the Catholic Church, the police, the former Bedfordshire County Council and the political establishment has either ignored these claims, or brushed them under the carpet after a cursory glance.

Now is the time for the church, the police, the politicians to recognise the true horror of St Francis Boys Home, Shefford.

The exposure of the prolific crimes of Savile and the conviction of celebrities such as Gary Glitter, Stuart Hall and Rolf Harris has given abused children the confidence to speak out at long last reassured that they have a voice that will be heard and respected. The walls of protection that were built around abusers within the Establishment are being dismantled and we need to ensure that they are never rebuilt. So the Shefford boys along with other abused children can hold their heads high and in their case, the least that the church can do is pay appropriate damages and say sorry.

THE footbridge over the river near Prebend Street has finally been built and opened. I for one, as a local resident, am very grateful to Ed Daly and his development company for building it.

Three questions nag me though. Why has Network Rail not pushed back its ugly fence to create an informal park; why has it not built a cycle path to the rail station; and who changed the name from Garibaldi Bridge to Britannia Bridge? Answers on a postcard, please.