Catholic Church Recommends New Redress Scheme for Child Sex Abuse Victims

By Rachel Browne
Sydney Morning Herald
August 12, 2014

http://www.smh.com.au/national/catholic-church-recommends-new-redress-scheme-for-child-sex-abuse-victims-20140812-1037xm.html

"It sounds encouraging but talk is cheap": Care Leavers Australia Network's Leonie Sheedy. Photo: Penny Stephens

Advocates for survivors of child sex abuse have cautiously welcomed the Catholic Church's proposed compensation scheme for victims of institutional abuse.

The Catholic Church's Truth, Justice and Healing Council has called for a national redress scheme to be administered by the federal government but funded by the institutions responsible for the harm, in a recommendation to the royal commission into child sex abuse.

Its submission, lodged on Tuesday, also recommends that victims who have already received compensation be able to access the new scheme for an independent review of past settlements.

Care Leavers Australia Network executive officer Leonie Sheedy said many survivors had just received "breadcrumbs" to compensate them for the abuse they suffered, saying a fair redress scheme was well overdue.

"It sounds encouraging but talk is cheap; it's what's in the fine print that matters," she said.

Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests spokeswoman Nicky Davis agreed the scheme "hit all the right points but actions speak louder than words".

"Our experience has been that they make big promises but, when it comes down to it, what they deliver is nothing like the PR message," she said. "That has been the case over many decades in many countries."

Under the scheme proposed by the church, there will be no time limit for making a claim and redress should take into account medical and counselling expenses as well as past and future lost earnings.

The scheme also recommends redress should be capped and the limit determined "in line with community standards".

Claimants should be allowed to access low-cost legal advice and those who are unsuccessful should have the option of instigating civil proceedings.

The Catholic Church's handling of sex abuse cases has been played out during the royal commission, with the so-called "Ellis defence" – that the church cannot be liable for the actions of priests who abuse children – coming under scrutiny.

Francis Sullivan, chief executive of the Truth, Justice and Healing Council, appointed by the Catholic Church to oversee its response to the royal commission, said the scheme would offer fair and compassionate compensation for victims.

"The days of the Catholic Church investigating itself are over," he said. "For the sake of the survivors of clerical sexual abuse within the church and all other institutions, the development of an independent national victims' redress scheme is a giant step forward in delivering justice for people suffering the devastating impacts of child sexual abuse."

The royal commission, which is examining redress schemes for victims as part of its inquiry, will hold its next public hearing in Melbourne on Monday.