Inquiry into child sexual abuse finds Christian Brothers avoided scrutiny
A parliamentary committee inquiry into child sexual abuse has found the Christian Brothers avoided public scrutiny and hid information on the abuse of children under their care.
Transcript
00:00The inquiry found institutions prioritised survival and financial well-being over the
00:07needs of those who'd been abused.
00:09It is the conspiracy of secrecy and institutional denial around abuse that not only adds to
00:16the trauma suffered by those who are abused, but also obstructs their path to justice.
00:23It wants better resourcing for support services and the government and institutions to publicly
00:28name abusers.
00:29It's empowering.
00:31Without that, a lot of this would stay secret.
00:33There's a bow wave of the survivors of child abuse who haven't been able to come forward
00:39and only now are feeling able to do that.
00:42The Royal Commission into Child Sexual Abuse found that the Catholic Church and the Christian
00:46Brothers in particular were disproportionately represented in child sexual abuse claims.
00:52But the Christian Brothers refused to appear before this parliamentary inquiry or give
00:56any information about the abusers who worked at their schools and institutions across WA.
01:02Their reasons for doing so were not just lacking in credibility, but were frankly offensive.
01:07The actions of the Christian Brothers suggest a deliberate attempt to shield themselves
01:11from the consequences of their past action.
01:13The inquiry also wants to give Indigenous people placed in family care by the government
01:18access to the National Redress Scheme.
01:20They are the most disadvantaged survivors I have ever worked with and we'd love to see
01:26them get justice.
01:28And a recommendation for institutions to set up outreach programs to encourage victims
01:33to come forward, particularly in schools where the Christian Brothers operated.
01:37If they do not do that, they are complicit in the abuse that took place at their schools.
01:44I implore Archbishop Costello to get on the right side of history and walk alongside survivors.
01:50The Catholic Church apologised to victims and says it will consider the recommendations.