I was interviewed for the ABCs documentary, Undeniable, which examined the events leading up to the establishment of the royal commission into institutional responses to child sex abuse.
Towards the conclusion of the interview I was asked what my expectations were after the Commission handed down its final report.
“Well, what do we want do, burn another generation of children and get back to this in thirty years?”
Some might see that as a flippant remark and perhaps understandably, it found its way to the floor in an editor’s suite.
I thought it was a reasonable point to make because that is where we are now.
Full column here.
I get why people find the behaviour of senior members of organisations in managing reputational risk abhorrent but what we also need to recognise is the role of lawyers, particularly those representing insurance companies, in giving instructions on what those senior people are to do.
I will say the above comment doesn’t relate to those persons who covered up or ignored allegations for more nefarious purposes.
Goodness Jack. Some of the comments over the wall are appalling. The racist ones in particular. I don’t know how you contain yourself!
At the risk of perhaps offending any Catholics here, The Catholic church was the major offender. I really think that the Catholic church, going forward, needs to have a long and serious think about celibacy in their priesthood. In saying that though, I don’t think there is a snowball’s hope in hell of that happening. Given that homosexuality was taboo in those decades I have sometimes wondered if men who were homosexually inclined didn’t join the priesthood, not out of a vocation for the life of Christ, but for a ready pool of the type of sex they desired. And the depravity got worse.
I am sure there are many, many wonderful Catholic priests out there who do not deserve to be tarred with the same brush, But I sure as hell wouldn’t leave a child of mine alone with one. Sad.
The perpetrators of the crimes should be paying the compensation – not the taxpayers. In the case of the church, walk into any major cathedral in Europe, filled with treasures – that would be worth trillions, and I mean trillions.
It’s fairly common to get these ‘whatabout’ responses. There is a lot off fatigue on this issue. That, too, is understandable.
OK, I will try again. I think my last one didn’t get through because I used the “p” word.
You can’t associate homosexuality with child molesting Boa. A lot of my male gay friends suffer quite a lot from that misconception. Monsignor John Day wasn’t a homosexual if you read the account of Denis Ryans first encounter with him. But he was a monster as were most of the offenders both within the Catholic Church and other Institutions. When you look at the Anglican Church, some of our best private schools and other institutions that have been named in the Royal Commission, celibacy is not the issue, nor is homosexuality.
When you see the pie chart of where the offences occurred, Penny, the Catholic church’s 60%+ is a hefty piece of the pie. Why?
Celibacy must surely play a role in that. Asking people to suppress a basic human instinct is going to have repercussions. It may have worked once back in time when religion was a way of life of supreme sacrifice hidden away in a monastery. But in today’s liberated world it seems unrealistic. Voluntary celibacy may be a way forward for them?
Fine Boa, but don’t link homosexuality with child molesting.
I was trying to avoid this but there is a link, albeit a tenuous one. A correlation perhaps but not causation. The case of convicted pedophile priest Paul David Ryan is instructive. He went to the Adelaide seminary and was chucked out, considered to be an inappropriate person to be a priest e.g. they knew he was gay. Despite this he was sponsored by Mulkearns to attend Corpus Christi in Melbourne which was a breeding ground for peds. Left to his own devices Ryan may not have offended at all. But once in the confines of that seminary in his early 20s, his psycho-sexual development froze, he remained attracted to teenage boys and acted on those attractions as a priest in Warrnambool and elsewhere. He was jailed for sexual assault and was probably lucky to avoid further convictions. Today he is a gay man in a relationship with a man his own age. This in no way excuses Ryan of his crimes but it is an attempt too understand them. Of course not all clerical peds are gay and there are many members of the clergy who were and are gay but remain celibate and do not act out their desires on children or adults. Similarly peds like Day and Ridsdale assaulted boys and girls. The point is what goes on in seminaries and juniorates with young men and teenage boys effectively stifles normal sexual development. It is unnatural and many present as adults with a predilection for children because they retain the attractions they had when they entered these places as children themselves. On another note I see the Commission drew the conclusion that had women been in leadership positions within the Catholic Church much of the offending would not have occurred. I doubt the Catholic Church will ever allow women to join the priesthood but it is impossible to disagree with the Commission’s view.
Jack’s comments below are correct Penny. Don’t know the numbers or percentages but there are pedophiles out there that are also gay. It may be they were molested as children and that steered them in that direction, not sure, but it is a fact. I would explain further but am pleading the 5th amendment.
I’d argue that there are plenty of heterosexual men who get off on underage girls.
Here’s a ‘snapshot” of the Royal Commission’s work, Mr Insider, by ABC Reporter Samantha Donovan, to add to your fine work. A layman’s who’s who of the terrible tragedy that befell all those kids.
https://tinyurl.com/y7ey3thx
Whilst loathe to suggest another branch of policing would a separate department focused solely on child abuse be effective? Should it be a federal matter? Do we spend and waste more money on drug enforcement (and to what end)? Should lump sum payments (whilst still given) be slightly reduced and the focus be on life term support?
I don’t know but I am confident in my belief that victims of child abuse are sadly damaged goods. Their formative, vulnerable, precious years irrevocably scarred. The horror they have suffered can and will surface at anytime, unleashing a wave of hate, self loathing and all sorts of stuff I, thankfully, can not imagine.
For all the talk of the good old days it is a kick in the teeth to uncover the pervasive levels of rampant abuse of the most vulnerable.
And as Jack mentioned, who can assure that similar stuff is not going on now. Consider the number of kids who are not being raised by their parents, or are and shouldn’t be, juvenile detention, foster care etc. I’m not pointing a finger at anyone here but where there are vulnerable people it is only natural that predators would seek these places out.
Important work you’re doing Jack. As yet haven’t see the show in full but will get to it. What I did see made clear to me was that the church were protecting their own (and their institution), and it is no secret that the Roman Catholic church has been rightfully, roundly castigated for it (singled out, even), yet it was plainly allowed to do this simply because the police, our law enforcement, for whatever perverse reasons colluded not to do their job. The senior administrative, or institutional, behaviour of both the RC’s and the police provided an ideal environment in which isolated abhorrent crime was allowed to become obscenely prevalent.
The stuff on nightmares which I doubt S King could equal.
Sorry, perhaps too wordy.
Interesting thoughts Milton. Not sure if we need another department but the trick is to have the already existing ones working closer together. Information sharing due to privacy concerns have been an obstacle in the past but finally common sense is prevailing, in Qld at least, and this is largely a thing of the past. Joint interdepartmental teams working out of the same office on the same matters is also crucial.
It’s a life sentence Milton. Yes, money may help – but it will never give back the chance to have successful relationships I’m afraid. Not sure what the statistics are on that – or if it’s ever been measured. I know people scarred by this and it’s not pretty.
It’s an odd thing Boa. Some people cope and go on to be OK whereas it destroys the lives of others. No rhyme nor reason from what I’ve seen.
Amazing indeed, Mr Insider, as we read “Child sexual abuse Royal Commission hands over stories of survivors in book “too heavy to lift”. One does wonder is it too much info to be digested to be of any actual use in ever getting anyone or institution to a Courtroom? I do applaud their efforts though in shining a light on what is a most horrendous matter.
https://tinyurl.com/yd338ub3
I do note this information: “By February 2017, the Royal Commission chairman had referred 309 matters relating to abuse in Catholic Church institutions to police in all states and the ACT.
Twenty-seven prosecutions have begun as a result and 75 cases are being investigated.”
I was talking to a grand mother who was relating a shopping episode with her grand daughter.
Granny “We an keep this a secret”
9 year old. “Mummy says I should never have secrets with other people and I should always tell her”
What a wise mother.
“Let’s keep this a secret” is often the 5 word tool used by these predators.
I would ask one question of the institutions involved “What have you put in place to stop this from happening again?”
To my knowledge, there has been stony silence.
My daughter’s mother in law has this saying when she babysits “what happens at Nonna’s stays with Nonna”
She’s most certainly not into funny stuff, but to be honest I have never liked it.
JS, I agree the predators do rely on the “Let’s keep this a secret” tool. And yes the 9 year olds mother is wise. But I do think it is drawing a long bow with regard a child being able to relate something to a grandparent that they might feel uncomfortable talking about to a parent. Each one of my granddaughters have told me something they have not wanted to tell my daughter or my son-in-law. None of it has been particularly dramatic (except to them) but the fact that they wanted advice from someone who is one step away cannot be a bad thing. It’s the children who had no-one to tell or felt they wouldn’ t be believed who were the one’s that were effectively preyed on….
Let’s wait & see how the Melbourne Response is fitted into the big picture. I’m pretty sure the personal angst will be re-visited, maybe in the context of political careers. Any length of delay, let alone 20 or 30 years, to get the facts together will be measured, in some cases in the crudest of terms – dollars. But, I hope it’s said loud & clear that compensation should be the start, not the end, of truth & healing.
Nothing will happen, most of the recommendations will be ignored or watered down, because the political class is owned by the institutions that perpetrated these evils and to reduce their powers and subject them to the scrutiny required, will allow the same questions to be asked of those who wield political power and they will not countenance that for one minute.
Why do you think that nothing is done about the brethren or Scientology? Because if the same could be applied to the catholics or fundamentalists, well represented in the ranks of the parliamentarians and they will not allow it. Most of us can see the emperor has no clothes but most of us have no clout in Canberra.
Peter Fox ain’t no Dinny Ryan……..
so what… doesn’t have go be
Well if one is hanging ones hat on the same rack then one probably does smoke old son.
nope not true ..he’s not razor ..you are… wake up
your one line garbled nonsense is refuted by the link you posted razor
Fox has neverconflated Ryan with himself. Why did you?
Do some research on Fox smoke. It was all about him. It always has been. He wasn’t put on that Task Force for a very good reason. If you read, and I am assuming you can, the results of the inquiry vindicate the Senior NSW Police involved. Margaret Cunneen is far from a staunch ally of the establishment so perhaps even you might give her opinion some weight.
Fox saw himself as a crusader when in fact he was a little man of less than average investigative ability who wanted it to all be about him. It would appear, by reading the material, he even betrayed victims by leaking extremely sensitive material to the press. I wouldn’t have let him resign. I would have sacked him.
I see no proof of what you say razor.. None.
if the link you posted is the depth of evidence you possess,then your case is opinion based. Prejudice only
Indisputably Fox catalyzed the Newcastle paedophilia investigation and good on him gkr doing so.
So what is he?
what is razor?
What an odd thing to say..
Smoke or my comment Penny?
If it was my comment Penny read the results of the inquiry.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-05-30/hunter-child-abuse-special-commission-of-inquiry-clears-police/5488942
adani astroturfer with a Dutton man crush could be odd
Not as odd as someone who continually posts one line garbled nonsense without a real opinion on anything……….smoke says it all. Get off the hydro and back to the bush grown its killing ya!
experience talking^^
by their fruit you will know them
One survivor I have just watched being interviewed outside the RC had this to say. “I have never talked about this before. I kept quiet for 50 years. I’ll never talk about it again. But now we are believed.” If there is one great positive from the RC, it is that future disclosers will be heard, and believed. A future complaint will be robustly investigated and acted on. Trauma help is available. I don’t think we will end up back at the same place in 30 years. The RC has raised public awareness.