Gerald Ridsdale, Ballarat Survivors Gagged under New Laws

By Nina Funnell
News.com.au
August 27, 2020

https://www.news.com.au/national/crime/letusspeak-gerald-ridsdale-ballarat-survivors-gagged-under-new-laws/news-story/81d626a0e0a5c820147371b177463786

Victims of notorious convicted paedophile Gerald Ridsdale are among those who have lost the right to self-identify in the media, as have dozens of other clergy abuse victims and other survivors in Victoria.

Under new state laws – quietly introduced in February – victims can no longer speak to media under their real names, in any case where the offender has been found guilty. The only exception is if they obtain a court order - a process which can cost thousands of dollars.

The #LetUsSpeak campaign was launched yesterday to petition the changes and funds are being raised to support individual victims to take their fight to court.

The new laws also apply to all past cases meaning that countless victims who have previously spoken to the media to push for inquiries and reforms have now lost that right.

Paedophile Gerald Ridsdale outside court on August 15, 1993. His victims now can’t show their faces in the media under a new law.Source:Supplied

Gerald Ridsdale, shown on January 27, 2018, was convicted for heinous crimes spanning decades.Source:News Corp Australia

The group of now censored survivors includes three of Victoria’s most high profile and vocal clergy abuse survivors who were assaulted by different paedophiles, all of whom were convicted.

The three men – all aged in their 50s – have been identified dozens of times in the past and scores of other survivors have come forward as a result of their advocacy.

Peter* is one of the men affected. As a child he was groomed and abused by an infamous convicted Australian paedophile and Catholic priest who we now can’t name because that could identify Peter.

“First you’re silenced by the abuse, then by the church. Now you’re silenced by our own laws” said Peter. “Silence is a killer. It means you’ve got no control again.”

Peter is currently working on a book due out next year, but under the new laws, that book cannot be published containing his real name, unless he is granted a court order – a process which could cost him thousands of dollars. He has now joined the campaign and is supported by the GoFundMe.

“The church already does this – they drag everything out, hoping you’ll give up. And a lot of people will.”

A second extremely high profile clergy abuse survivor, Andrew* from Ballarat, has also previously been identified “hundreds of times” in the media, but has now lost that ability to speak out.

“You’re taking away my basic human right” he said of the new gag laws.

“I started being vocal about it in the 1990s because I wanted the abuse to stop happening to other children. I also wanted to make sure that other survivors got the help, care and support they needed.”