Ballarat Survivors of Catholic Clergy Abuse to Deliver ‘brutal and Horrific’ Details to Royal Commission

By Lucie Morris-marr
Herald Sun
May 18, 2015

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/ballarat-survivors-of-catholic-clergy-abuse-to-deliver-brutal-and-horrific-details-to-royal-commission/story-fni0fit3-1227359558567

Paul Lyons, Steve Woods and Andrew Collins yesterday. Picture: Mark Stewart

SURVIVORS of child sexual abuse by Catholic clergy in Ballarat say their evidence to a royal commission, beginning Tuesday, will cause outrage.

Steve Woods, 53, Andrew Collins, 47, Paul Lyons, 55, and Peter Blenkiron, 52, say their evidence of what went on locally in the 1960s and ’70s would be “brutal and horrific” and would help expose the full extent of the scandal.

“Our stories are shocking, and when people hear them in detail at these hearings there is going to be anger and upset,” Mr Woods said.

“It’s time for the full truth about what happened in Ballarat to be heard — and it’s not going to be easy to hear.

“So many of us were beaten and raped in the school by the men our parents trusted the most,” he said.

“But this is our moment and we deserve for our voices to be heard in the very town where it happened.”

The commission may also hear testimony from victims that raises the issue of whether Cardinal George Pell knew or heard anything of clergy misconduct while he was living at St Alipius Presbytery in Ballarat, sources have said.

Up to 50 suicides have been linked to the abuse and Mr Woods, who was abused at St Alipius Primary School, said the group of friends felt “lucky to be alive”.

His brother, Anthony, who also attended St Alipius, died from AIDS at 33 after his life “spiralled into a world of drug abuse”.

“Like my brother, so many of those abused couldn’t cope with the memories and feelings of shame and confusion,” Mr Woods said.

“The worst part was, until we started the support group, so many of us thought we were totally alone,” he said.

“We had no idea the abuse was so widespread because those who attacked us beat us into keeping quiet.

“So many victims later took their own lives because they tragically thought they were perverted or had done something wrong themselves,” Mr Woods said.

The men say it’s thanks to forming the support group, which is now run by Ballarat’s Centre Against Sexual Abuse, that they have been able to “begin to heal” by sharing their experiences and receiving regular counselling.

The Royal Commission of Inquiry into the Institutional Response to Child Abuse will begin three weeks of hearings in Ballarat on Tuesday.

They will focus on St Alipius Parish and Primary School, led by jailed priest Gerald Ridsdale and four Christian Brother teachers, who all later faced child abuse charges, as well as St Patrick’s College; St Patrick’s Christian Brothers Boys’ Primary School; and St Joseph’s Home, which closed in 1980.

The inquiry is due to hear from up to 100 witnesses.