AUSTRALIA
Courier
“ALTHOUGH you’re not to be punished for the institutional response, what happened was scandalous. This boy was not the only victim of clerical abuse in the Melbourne archdiocese, nor the only victim whose welfare was ignored while the church took active steps to protect the priest and itself.”
These were the words of Victorian County Court Judge Felicity Hampel yesterday in sentencing a priest who sexually assaulted two Melbourne boys in 1970s. It puts into total focus the need for today’s release of a parliamentary committee report into institutionalised abuse to reinforce the community’s plea for a strong new approach to this issue.
The report comes after more than one year of hearings and interviews designed to finally unmask the dark and hidden depths of abuse in institutions which, for many people, form a significant part of our everyday lives.
The inquiry has heard calls for legislative reform that would allow organisations to be sued for their inaction or cover-ups.
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