ROME
SBS
AAP
Child sex abuse survivors in Rome to see Cardinal George Pell give evidence to a royal commission have visited a refuge for Catholic Australian pilgrims to tie ribbons in support of those who suffered abuse.
The survivors, who were sexually abused as children by pedophile priests in the Victorian diocese of Ballarat, tied coloured ribbons to a window of Domus Australia, a guest house and support centre for pilgrims set up with the cardinal’s backing.
The ribbon tying is part of the Loud Fence campaign started by three women in Ballarat to show support for survivors when they went to court to confront and testify against their abusers.
Survivors’ group spokesman David Ridsdale, who was abused by his uncle and serial pedophile priest Gerald Ridsdale, said the women “decided it should be loud and there should be no more silence”.
Loud Fence has now become a worldwide movement.
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