Abuse Victim Restricted by Church Deed

By Annette Blackwell
The Telegraph
December 9, 2013

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/breaking-news/catholic-response-to-abuse-under-spotlight/story-fni0xqi3-1226778345504

A WOMAN who was abused as a girl by a Catholic priest had to sign a deed saying she would not make disparaging remarks about the Church authority or discuss with anyone her sexual abuse except for medical purposes.

Joan Isaacs was sexually abused by Father Francis Derriman at a convent school in Brisbane when she was 14 to 15 years of age.

Derriman was sentenced to one year in prison, suspended after four months served.

Senior counsel advising the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses into Child Sexual Abuse, Gail Furness, outlined Ms Isaacs' case on the opening day of a public hearing into the Catholic Church's internal process for handling abuse allegations.

She said Ms Isaacs was referred to Towards Healing, a set of principles and procedures set up by the church for people who have been sexually abused by clergy or other church personnel.