Newcastle community urged to work together in fallout from child sexual abuse revelations

By Robert Virtue
ABC News
October 26, 2015

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-10-26/newcastle-community-urged-to-work-together-in-abuse-fallout/6885642

Dr Cathy Kezelman from Adults Surviving Child Abuse believes a whole-of-society response is needed, following revelations of child abuse perpetrated by members of the Anglican Church.

An advocate for victims of child sexual abuse says a community-wide approach is needed to deal with the ramifications of the abuse revelations.

Dr Cathy Kezelman, president of the Adults Surviving Child Abuse organisation, said the community needed to gain an understanding of the lasting impacts trauma could have on child abuse victims.

Today, Newcastle Anglican bishop Greg Thompson revealed he also was a victim of child sexual abuse.

Bishop Thompson told 1233 ABC Newcastle that as an Anglican bishop and a survivor, he was on his own personal healing journey.

Over the weekend, the Anglican Diocese of Newcastle in New South Wales moved to issue a formal apology to local people abused by members of the clergy.

"It sends a strong message that we are recognising, we have recognised the great harm. We are working on it, but [it] also enables survivors to come forward themselves," Bishop Thompson said.

"There is no handbook, but we know that critical incidents that have impacted organisations require significant care, in order that we address the harm, and support the people in them."

Dr Cathy Kezelman said further support was needed to help victims of abuse.

"We need to see far more investment in services and the right sort of people, so that they can get a chance to live healthy and constructive lives," Dr Kezelman said.

"We need practitioners and counsellors who have the right training to support people who've experienced child sexual abuse."

Dr Kezelman said Bishop Thompson's revelation that he was a victim of abuse may encourage others to share their story.

"If people in those sorts of positions of power can speak out and find the courage to do so, what we've seen with our data, is that it gives people permission to speak out and come forward and seek the help that they need," she said.

"When you have a society that treats this issue with stigma and taboo, it takes enormous courage to reach out and seek help."

While the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse continues, Dr Kezelman said a whole-of-society approach was needed in the Hunter region to help in the reconciliation process.

"This is about communities working together ... [and] starting to look at what needs to change so that survivors from past abuse are supported and get the help they need; so that [the] crime of sexual abuse is reported, that perpetrators are brought to account, so that we have changes within our systems and institutions [so] that this never happens again," she said.

"I think this is a whole societal, attitudinal issue.

"We need to understand what trauma does. We need to understand its impacts."

Bishop Greg Thompson and Dr Cathy Kezelman spoke to 1233 ABC Newcastle's Aaron Kearney and Jill Emberson.