Salvation Army's reputation declines after child sex abuse inquiry hearings: research

By Danuta Kozaki
ABC News
December 22, 2014

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-22/salvation-army-reputation-declines-after-child-sex-abuse-inquiry/5983508

The Salvation Army's reputation has been severely damaged by evidence that children were abused in its homes in the past, research suggests.

In an annual index of the reputations of 40 of Australia's largest charities, the Salvation Army fell from 10th last year to 27th this year.

The Charity Reputation Index, published by research consultants AMR, is based on a survey of the public and considers issues such as trust, leadership and governance.

Managing director Oliver Goodman said community perceptions of the Salvation Army were affected by the high-profile hearings of the Royal Commission into Institution Responses to Child Sexual Abuse earlier this year.

The inquiry heard evidence children were physically and sexually abused in the homes over many years.

Among the allegations were claims boys were dragged from their beds and raped in homes in NSW and Queensland, and that children at a Sydney home were "rented out" to strangers who sexually abused them in the 1960s and '70s.

Salvation Army spokesman Peter Sutcliffe said he had not seen the reputation index or the methodology it used, but that the organisation had expected to take a hit this year.

"We expected our reputation to take a drop but we will work very hard to support those one million plus people who will seek support in the following year," he said.

"This Christmas there will be 300,000 people alone who will need help."

Major Sutcliffe said the Salvation Army had publicly expressed its deep regret and sorrow over the abuse that occurred in its homes and its response to reports from victims.

Mr Goodman said the "entire sector has suffered a decline in trust in the eyes of Australians", according to the raw scores given by respondents to the charities.

Other leading charities dropped their rankings this year, including the Heart Foundation (11th to 20th), Wesley Mission (22nd to 28th) and the McGrath Foundation (2nd to 8th).

Greenpeace Australia Pacific was ranked 40th.

Mr Goodman said the Royal Flying Doctor Service maintained its number one position for the fourth year in a row.