Royal Commission's Public Hearings into Child Sexual Abuse to Begin in Sydney

By Philippa McDonald and Rebecca Armitage
ABC News
September 15, 2013

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2013-09-15/abuse-royal-commission-hearings-underway-in-sydney/4958230

[with video]

Make no mistake, few institutions caring for children in Australia are likely to be spared the scrutiny of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

Public hearings begin in Sydney today and the commission's chief Janette Dines says it will look "very broadly at institutions".

"We're looking at all sorts of institutions that have responsibility to look after children, and this week there are five institutions whose conduct will be examined," she said.

They include Scouts Australia, a New South Wales Government department, the Hunter Aboriginal Children's Service and its former head, Steven Larkins.

In coming months the Salvation Army, YMCA and Catholic Church could be among the institutions whose conduct will be examined by the commissioners.

Part of the royal commission's terms of reference is "to bear witness to the abuse and trauma inflicted on people who suffered sexual abuse as children in institutions".

Ms Dines says the public should prepare themselves for the shocking details.

"We believe the public will be shocked to begin to learn just how difficult life has been for people who have experienced child sexual abuse in an institution," she said.

"We also think people will be shocked to learn the broad range of institutions where child sexual abuse has occurred in the past, and I think the other thing that will shock people will be the severity of physical abuse that often accompanies sexual abuse."

She says victims and survivors of child sexual abuse have come forward in their thousands.

"We've had an overwhelming response - 5,000 have called the royal commission and at least 2,000 of those have expressed interest in coming forward and talking to the royal commissioner," Ms Dines said.

Thousands of victims come forward

Four hundred people have given evidence in private hearings, another 400 people have registered to give evidence in private and another 1,000 people are waiting to hear if they will get a hearing.

Twenty-three people are coming forward every day, with an average of 10 under serious consideration for a private hearing.

Dr Cathy Kezelman from Adults Surviving Child Abuse says it is a very big undertaking.

"What we hear from people who have been engaged in private hearings, they’re feeling heard, they’re feeling respected and people are getting a chance to tell their story," she said.

"They've had their feelings validated. That's crucial for survivors.

"Survivors really struggle with trust so as they watch the commission unfold; more people will be coming forward.

"People who have worked in the industry are not shocked by the numbers sadly.

"It's an enormous number of Australians who have been impacted."

The start of the public hearings come exactly one year after whistleblower and New South Wales Detective Chief Inspector Peter Fox spoke out about child sexual abuse by the Catholic clergy.

His and others allegations of institutional cover-ups were part of the momentum which led to the establishment of the royal commission.

"Twelve months is a long time but many, many people have been waiting much longer than that for this to actually get underway, so it is a huge relief and it is wonderful to see it starting," Detective Chief Inspector Fox said.

"I've spoken to a number of survivors, victims and family members, the response has been fantastic.

"A father and son who spoke to the commission came out feeling ecstatic.

"They'd been listened to, they'd been treated with courtesy and dignity and they're able to tell their full story.

"One analogy that was told to me was that it was a little like Vietnam veterans who felt left out for so long have now finally been embraced by the Australian people.

"Victims of abuse feel very similar, that their voices will be listened to and things done to change the way we deal with these crimes."

Teresa Scott from the peak child protection body NAPCAN sounds a word of warning.

"Last year alone, according to Australian statistics, nearly 6,000 children were sexually abused, but that only makes up 12 per cent of all of the child abuse in Australia in one year," she said.

"This is happening in family homes where children are meant to be safe so abuse is not just happening in institutions.

"It is happening in families and on a much bigger scale.

"So this is a community issue that all of us need to be aware of and all of us should look out for the wellbeing of children."

Ms Scott says she would like to think the level of institutional abuse has dropped over the past 20 years, simply because of the changes in the way residential placements, orphanages and the like are run.

"But we don't know until we open the doors on this sort of thing," she said.

'A nation-changing event'

The royal commission has held private sessions in Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, Perth, Canberra, Melbourne, Darwin and Hobart.

Royal commissioners have also spoken to members of Indigenous communities in the Kimberly and Geraldton.

A counsellor is present in each private session and witnesses are offered ongoing support.

Some have never told their story before, even to those closest to them.

As far as Detective Chief Inspector Fox is concerned, it is a watershed in our history.

"I don't think a lot of people probably realise it yet. Certainly by the end of the royal commission, everyone will acknowledge, as Julia Gillard said, this is going to be a nation-changing event," he said.

The royal commission has funding of $277.9 million over four years.

An interim report is expected in June next year.