Report Of Case Study 11

Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse
December 19, 2014

http://www.childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au/media-release/1840/royal-commission-releases-findings-on-the-responses-of-the-christian-brothers-in-western-australia-and-the-catholic-diocese-of-wollongong-to-child-sexual-abuse

[the report]

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has published two reports; ‘Report of Case Study 11: Congregation of Christian Brothers in Western Australia response to child sexual abuse at Castledare Junior Orphanage, St Vincent’s Orphanage Clontarf, St Mary’s Agricultural School Tardun and Bindoon Farm School’ and ‘Report of Case Study 14: The response of the Catholic Diocese of Wollongong to allegations of child sexual abuse, and related criminal proceedings, against John Gerard Nestor, a priest of the Diocese’.

Report of Case Study 11

This report examines the responses of the Congregation of Christian Brothers in Western Australia to child sexual abuse at Castledare Junior Orphanage, St Vincent’s Orphanage Clontarf, St Mary’s Agricultural School Tardun and Bindoon Farm School.

The four institutions operated from the late 1920s and closed down between the 1960s and 1980s.

During the hearing in Perth earlier this year, eleven men gave evidence and made allegations of sexual abuse against 16 named Brothers. The sexual abuse occurred in dormitories, in Brothers’ rooms, during movie screenings and in the grounds. It also involved Brothers watching boys naked in the showers. Most of the boys did not report the abuse; one of those who did was physically beaten.

The report found that from 1919 to the 1960s, the relevant Christian Brothers’ Provincial Council knew of allegations of sexual abuse against some Brothers in institutions run by the Christian Brothers around Australia.

The report also found that from 1947 to 1968, leaders of the Christian Brothers failed to manage each of the four institutions so as to prevent the sexual abuse of children living there.

The case study also inquired into the conduct and settlement of the class against brought against the Christian Brothers.

Read the full report.