AUSTRALIA
ABC News
[with video]
The Christian Brothers have told Victoria’s child abuse inquiry the extraordinary level of child sexual abuse in Ballarat in the early 1970s was an accident of history but the Catholic order apologised unreservedly for what it described as ‘the crimes of a few’.
Transcript
EMMA ALBERICI, PRESENTER: The Christian Brothers have told Victoria’s child abuse inquiry that the extraordinary level of sexual abuse, child sexual abuse perpetuated by members of their order in Ballarat in the 1970s was an quote and “accident of history”. After admitting they once hired a private investigator to spy on a victim of abuse, the Catholic order apologised unreservedly for what it described the crimes of a few.
Hamish Fitzsimmons reports.
HAMISH FITZSIMMONS, REPORTER: It was a statement many in the gallery needed to hear.
JULIAN MCDONALD, PROVINCE LEADER, CHRISTIAN BROTHERS: It is true that there was some mistakes made and they’ve had devastating consequences on victims. I cannot defend the and I will not try to defend the indefensible.
HAMISH FITZSIMMONS: The leaders of the Christian Brothers in the region faced pointed questioning from the members of the parliamentary inquiry about how the rape children by a number of clergy in Ballarat in the 1970s when unchecked.
GEORGIE CROZIER MP, CHAIRWOMAN, VIC PARLIAMENT INQUIRY: Could you explain to the committee why this extraordinary state of affairs was allowed to occur?
JULIAN MCDONALD: I have no adequate explanation for that madam chair. It is certainly an accident of history. It was a terrible, terrible situation. The lives of young people were devastated by those who offended at St Alipius’s school in Ballarat. That’s of great shame to us and a terrible, terrible thing to happen to the victims.
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