Child Abuse Survivor Says Complaints Were Ignored

ABC News
May 20, 2013

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-05-20/child-abuse-survivor-says-complaints-were-ignored/4700258?§ion=news

A man who says he was abused at a north coast Anglican children's home says the local bishop ignored his concerns for years.

Last Friday the Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Grafton resigned, saying he failed in his duty to pass on complaints about the Lismore home to the church's Professional Standards Director.

Bishop Keith Slater says the legal liability of so many complaints from residents at the Church of England North Coast Children's Home, initially clouded the matter.

But former home resident and abuse survivor, Richard 'Tommy' Campion says the bishop didn't want to hear his complaints.

"I would have written all up about a thousand letters.

"This man I knew he was doing wrong. Under the rules of the church he should listen to us.

"He failed to act fairly and compassionately to the victims of brutal and physical abuse.

"He showed a clear case of negligence, incompetence and cruelty," he said.

Mr Campion lived at the Church of England North Coast Children's Home in Lismore for 14 years.

He says he'll pursue those in the church who failed to acknowledge his sexual and physical abuse.

The Anglican Church says Bishop Slater made an 'error of judgment' but Mr Campion says there are others in the church guilty of the same error.

"For a start the word 'error' it wasn't an error, he knew what was going on.

"There are a lot of people involved in this.

"This man has gone he hasn't paid the price yet but he's gone and I need to follow up on other people who did not act on my sexual abuse and physical abuse, people who did not care," he said.