AUSTRALIA
ABC News
By Philippa McDonald and Riley Stuart
More than 20 per cent of the members of some Catholic religious orders — including Marist Brothers and Christian Brothers — were allegedly involved in child sexual abuse, a royal commission hearing in Sydney has been told.
Nearly 2,000 Catholic Church figures, including priests, religious brothers and sisters, and employees, were identified as alleged perpetrators in a report released by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
The hearing is examining the current policies and procedures of the church’s authorities in Australia relating to child protection and child safety standards, as well as their response to allegations of abuse.
In her opening address, Gail Furness SC said a survey revealed 4,444 alleged incidents of abuse between January 1980 and February 2015 were made to Catholic Church authorities.
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