Archdiocese of Perth ...

By Peter Law Perthnow
Perth Now
September 14, 2014

http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/western-australia/archdiocese-of-perth-confronts-horror-of-child-sex-abuse-with-transparency-and-independence/story-fnhocxo3-1227057669671

Former WA police officer and child protection expert Andrea Musulin.

Archdiocese of Perth confronts horror of child sex abuse with ‘transparency and independence’

CHILD-ABUSE awareness classes will be taught at Catholic schools and Sunday schools in the Archdiocese of Perth as part of sweeping anti-abuse measures.

Volunteer “safeguardian officers” will be trained and appointed in each of the 104 parishes and 100 affiliated schools for children and vulnerable adults to report abuse.

Regular public reporting on safeguardian work, including case numbers and compliance checks, will be made to the Department of Child Protection.

The package of measures, which includes contracting an independent auditor and partnering with external organisations, are a first for the Catholic Church in Australia.

Catholic Archbishop of Perth Timothy Costelloe said the church was doing all it could to “confront the horror of child sexual abuse with transparency and independence”.

Andrea Musulin, a WA police officer of 28 years with expertise in child protection and school-based policing, was this week appointed Safeguardian Project Coordinator.

The mother-of-six, a practising Catholic, is executive officer of Protective Behaviours WA, which developed an anti-abuse curriculum used by WA schools.

Mrs Musulin, granted 12 months leave by the force, said the program would empower children she expected abuse survivors would speak out as a result.

“The educational programs we use is about prevention and detection. It’s for those that it hasn’t happened to, keeping it that way and making sure it doesn’t happen,” she said.

“And if it does happen, give them the voice that they need, allowing them a process where they can go and find help — because if they don’t find help it will perpetuate and get a lot worse.

“The child that’s sexually abused, where the abuse is ongoing, they’re going to be a lot less able to function down the track or deal with it in comparison to the child it has only happened once to. Through dealing with it the blame can be attributed to the right person.”

Consideration is also being given to creating an Archdiocesan Safeguardian Commission to oversee all auditing and monitoring of professional standards policies.

Archbishop Costelloe said: “The Catholic community remains wholly committed to doing all it can to address the horrendous crimes of sexual abuse and to prevent the wrongdoings of the past from ever having to happen again.

“As I have said previously, we may not be able to change the past, but we must all continue to make every effort possible to change the future.”