Brothers pay more to victims

By Bethany Hiatt
West Australian
December 21, 2014

https://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/25832270/brothers-pay-more-to-victims/

Moving on: Raphael Ellul.

The Christian Brothers have reopened 80 previously settled cases in the wake of royal commission hearings held earlier this year into sexual abuse at four WA orphanages.

In a written statement, the Christian Brothers said new settlements had been reached in 14 cases and mediation meetings had taken place recently in 20 cases in response to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

The commission released a report on Friday which found that Christian Brothers leaders knew of allegations of sexual abuse of children at four WA orphanages and failed to manage the homes to prevent the systemic ill-treatment for decades.

Christian Brothers Oceania province leader Brother Peter Clinch said it had made significant progress on the commitment it made at the public hearings in April to re-examine cases that had been "settled on demonstrably unjust and unreasonably low terms".

The commission's report into sexual, physical and emotional abuse at the Bindoon, Clontarf, Castledare and Tardun orphanages also found that the Christian Brothers failed in their obligation to provide for and educate the orphans.

It said visiting supervisors paid more attention to financial and religious matters than the children's welfare and a lack of privacy meant that Brothers were able to be alone with boys in their rooms and to watch them naked in the showers.

"On behalf of all Christian Brothers across the Oceania Province, I reiterate our apology to those children who were deserving of absolute protection and yet suffered unimaginable trauma," Brother Clinch said.

"The failures of the past cannot be undone, however, we can continue our work, and those of many across the community, to help bring healing and renewal to lives that have been damaged."

Child migrant and former Tardun resident Raphael Ellul recently accepted compensation of $80,000 from the Christian Brothers. It was in addition to an earlier payment of $35,000.

Mr Ellul was one of 11 former residents who gave evidence to the commission about their abuse by 16 Brothers.

He said though he believed he was entitled to more, it was time to move on with his life.