ABUSE TRACKER

AUSTRALIA
The Age

[with poll]

November 14, 2012

Barney Zwartz

A DEFIANT Cardinal George Pell has blamed a smear campaign against the Catholic Church for public pressure that led to a royal commission into child sex abuse.

The Archbishop of Sydney said a commission into the Catholic Church was not needed, but he welcomed the broader inquiry announced by Prime Minister Julia Gillard on Monday night as ”an opportunity to clear the air, to separate fact from fiction”.

He attacked a ”persistent press campaign” and ”general smears that we are covering up and moving people around”, and suggested that abuse by Catholic priests had been singled out and exaggerated.

He also suggested that cynicism about the church’s handling of abuse was confined to the press, and the public understood that the church was serious about tackling the problem.

”We are not interested in denying the extent of misdoing in the Catholic Church. We object to it being exaggerated. We object to being described as the only cab on the rank,” Cardinal Pell told a press conference in Sydney.

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UNITED KINGDOM
BBC News

A former Church of England bishop and a retired priest have been arrested on suspicion of sex abuse.

The Right Reverend Peter Ball, a former bishop of Lewes and Gloucester, is being held on suspicion of abusing eight boys and men in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

He was arrested at his home near Langport, Somerset.

Retired Church of England priest Vickery House, 67, was arrested at his home near Haywards Heath, West Sussex,

A spokesman for Sussex Police said the allegations against the two men were being dealt with separately.

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AUSTRALIA
Sydney Morning Herald

November 14, 2012

Josephine Tovey, Phillip Coorey, Jonathan Swan

THE Premier, Barry O’Farrell, has questioned the Catholic Church’s rules exempting priests from having to report admissions of sexual abuse made in Confession, as the country’s most senior Catholic, George Pell, defended the church’s handling of paedophilia in its ranks.

On Tuesday a defiant Cardinal Pell welcomed the announcement of a national royal commission into abuse and said he believed it would help decipher real claims from ”significant exaggeration”.

”We’ll answer for what we’ve done,” Cardinal Pell said, adding that he expected to be called to give evidence. ”We’re not trying to defend the indefensible.”

But he hit out at what he described as a ”campaign” by the media and ”general smears” against the Catholic Church.

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AUSTRALIA
Jakarta Globe

Sydney. The Church should not be made the scapegoat in an Australian inquiry into child sex abuse, the country’s most senior Catholic cleric said Tuesday as victims welcomed the pedophile probe.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard ended more than a decade of growing pressure by ordering a royal commission on Monday to investigate the responses of all religious organizations, schools and state care to allegations of abuse.

Sydney Archbishop George Pell said he welcomed the inquiry, which will also examine the responses of not-for-profit organizations and the police, as an opportunity to help victims, “clear the air” and “separate fact from fiction.”

“We are not interested in denying the extent of misdoing in the Catholic Church,” he told a press conference.

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AUSTRALIA
Radio Australia

[with video]

By Samantha Donovan and staff

Some of the victims of sexual abuse by the clergy do not believe the Archbishop of Sydney’s statement that the Catholic Church has learnt the error of its ways.

In the wake of the Prime Minister’s decision to call a royal commission into institutionalised child abuse, Cardinal George Pell today said he believed many claims involving the church were exaggerated and historic.

“We are not interested in denying the extent of misdoing in the Catholic Church. We object to it being exaggerated,” he said.

“We object to it being described as the only cab on the rank.

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AUSTRALIA
ABC News

A north coast support group for adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse says plans for a national inquiry into the issue are fantastic.

The Royal Commission will investigate child abuse in institutions, such as schools, churches and foster homes, and look at how authorities responded.

The executive director of Alstonville’s Heartfelt House, Vicki Dobrunz says it’s a long overdue response.

“Anything that shines a light on sexual abuse and brings it to the forefront of society’s mind is always fantastic,” she said.

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AUSTRALIA
The Age

November 13, 2012

Josh Gordon
State political editor for The Age.

VICTORIA’S parliamentary inquiry into the sexual abuse of children by members of the clergy could be wound back once a Commonwealth royal commission is established.

Premier Ted Baillieu said he did not believe the sweeping royal commission into the abuse of children announced on Monday by Prime Minister Julia Gillard would have gone ahead if his government had not announced its own inquiry.

“Without the Victorian parliamentary inquiry, there would not have been, I don’t believe, the national focus on these issues which have been there in the last few months,” Mr Baillieu said. “I think that has been critical to ensuring we do have a national inquiry, a nationally based royal commission.”

But he did not rule out the possibility that Victoria’s parliamentary inquiry could be subsumed by the royal commission, which will be a broad national inquiry covering a range of institutions.

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AUSTRALIA
NEWS.com.au

THE federal royal commission into child sexual abuse could take a very long time if it covers every state, a key figure in Victoria’s bushfires royal commission says.

Jack Rush QC says while it’s important that the new commission is comprehensive, it’s also important it’s done quickly.

Mr Rush was the senior counsel assisting the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission, which sat for 155 days as it examined the deaths of 173 people.

He told ABC Radio on Tuesday that if the federal royal commission into child sexual abuse was too broad it could become unmanageable.

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AUSTRALIA
The Australian

Stuart Rintoul
From:The Australian
November 13, 2012

THE Catholic Church says a royal commission into child abuse is a chance to “clear out” doubts about the church, and has defended its internal processes of dealing with abuse allegations.

“We do need this activity, the inquiry, at this stage, to make quite sure the right thing is being done, to clear out for once and for all any doubt about the church,” Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne Denis Hart said today.

“As I go around from parish to parish, I sense there is a great love for the church, a great love of priests, but a terrible scandal of the few who have offended so terribly,” he told ABC radio.

He said the church would “co-operate fully with the royal commission” announced last night by Julia Gillard.

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AUSTRALIA
Herald Sun

Tory Shepherd
The Advertiser
November 12, 2012

THE country’s most powerful Catholic must address the festering sickness in his church, says Tory Shepherd.

PRIME Minister Julia Gillard announced last night a royal commission would aim to expunge the “vile and evil thing” that is child sexual abuse.

Meanwhile, Cardinal George Pell, Archbishop of Sydney and the country’s most powerful Catholic, is acting like a child just when he most needs to man up.

In the face of the latest horrific allegations of systemic child abuse and cover-ups in the Catholic Church he has cried, by turns, “It wasn’t me”, and “They did it, too”.

Detective Chief Inspector Peter Fox, a senior investigative cop, has revealed new depths in the scandal that has haunted the church for decades.

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AUSTRALIA
ABC – Lateline

[with video]

Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Broadcast: 12/11/2012
Reporter: Emma Alberici

Interview with the policeman who helped trigger the Government’s plan for a Royal Commission into the abuse of children in the nation’s institutions.

Transcript
EMMA ALBERICI, PRESENTER: We’re joined now by Detective Chief Inspector Peter Fox, the senior police officer who took a stand on the issue and called for a royal commission here on Lateline last week.

It was on this program that Inspector Fox first made the allegations that his investigations were hindered by interference from within the police force and within the Catholic Church.

Detective Fox has driven from Newcastle tonight to be with us again, and I thank you so much chief inspector Fox for coming in again.

PETER FOX, NSW POLICE: It’s a pleasure, Emma.

EMMA ALBERICI: Now of course as we just mentioned, you were the one calling for this royal commission last week. You must be feeling quite vindicated.

PETER FOX: I don’t think I was the only one. I just wanted to add my voice to the many thousands out there that were already calling out for it over the last decade and more. You know, when you’ve sat down with these people, I just don’t feel that you can turn up and walk away and think, “Well, I’ve got so much knowledge about what’s gone on,” and walk off and have an easy conscience thinking, “I could have done more, but I didn’t.”

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AUSTRALIA
Newcastle Herald

By IAN KIRKWOOD
Nov. 13, 2012

“BUT whoever shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.” – Matthew 18:6

This is the New Testament verse that Salt Ash man Rob Lipari turned to as he contemplated the news that Prime Minister Julia Gillard has announced a royal commission on child sexual abuse in the church.

Mr Lipari, who was abused as a boy in the late 1970s, welcomed the federal inquiry but warned that its terms of reference must take historical matters into account.

This sentiment was shared by others who spoke with the Newcastle Herald last night.

The Herald sought comment from the Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle but a spokeswoman said the only statement yesterday would be coming from the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference.

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AUSTRALIA
Eureka Street

[with video]

Moira Rayner November 12, 2012

A Royal Commission is or should be a rare sight. A Royal Commission is a short-term, immensely powerful ‘star chamber’ set up by the executive. They should be few, because governments shouldn’t be allowed to force people to give evidence, possibly incriminate themselves and be exposed to public obloquy, without compelling reason.

There is such reason, and the blood has been crying out for justice for far too long. Adult survivors of sex crimes against them as children, by men who presented as the personification of God, have seen their assailants protected by the institutions they worked in. They and their advocates were finally backed up, surprisingly by police. It takes the force to confront the misuse of force.

It started with the Victorian Police Commissioner’s submission to the feeble Parliamentary inquiry established by Premier Baillieu this year. He was scathing about the local Catholic Church’s obstruction of police investigations and its staggeringly complete failure to report known paedophile priests.

Then Peter Fox, a senior Newcastle police officer, went public and, in his own words, ‘threw away’ his career by demanding a Royal Commission into these cover-ups. When he was, instead, handed an inquiry into the response to reported sex crimes in his own district, the ensuing public disgust became politically necessary to assuage.

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AUSTRALIA
ABC – AM

[with audio]

As the Royal Commission into sexual abuse against children was being announced, New South Wales police were laying charges against a former teacher and a Catholic brother. The two men aged 58 and 59 were arrested last night and charged with a number of offences dating back 25 years. Meanwhile, the senior police officer who broke ranks to speak out against the police handling of sex abuse allegations involving the clergy says he’ll now have to quit his job.

Lindy Kerin

Transcript

TONY EASTLEY: News that Australia is about to embark on a wide ranging Royal Commission into child abuse has made headlines around the globe.

(BBC NewHour jingle)

BBC NEWS PRESENTER: BBC World Service. This is Tim Franks with NewsHour…

Its details are still to be worked out but it could run for years. It will have no shortage of material to deal with.

Even as it was being announced, New South Wales police were laying charges against a former teacher and a Catholic brother.

The two men, aged 58 and 59, were arrested last night and charged with a number of offences dating back 25 years.

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AUSTRALIA
Herald Sun

A FORMER victim has applauded the Government’s announcement of a Royal Commission into child sexual abuse, saying tens of thousands can now tell their story “without fear, shame and guilt”.

Pete Dillon was an eight-year-old altar boy when he was “forced and coerced” into performing sexual acts by a Catholic priest in regional Victoria.

He was warned he couldn’t tell anyone about the abuse, which went on for a couple of years, and he didn’t. He kept the truth hidden for 22 years.

Describing his 20s as a hellish period that terrified him, Mr Dillon finally sought therapy, and at the age of 30 came to terms with the abuse and came out as gay.

“It was like a massive weight off my shoulders,” he told news.com.au.

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AUSTRALIA
ABC News

By ABC’s Suzanne Smith

The abuse of children by Catholic clergymen has exposed a major failure of society, writes Suzanne Smith. But there were those who refused to accept the status quo.

I have met many honourable people in my career as a journalist, but none so inspiring as Detective Chief Inspector Peter Fox and Joanne McCarthy, the courageous journalist from the Newcastle Herald.

But it hasn’t been an easy road for either of them. They have stood beside many victims when everyone else failed to take responsibility and left those victims to deal individually with the Catholic Church. This has been a major failure of our society. We all left these traumatised and shattered families to deal directly with a powerful institution.

Many gasped in horror last Thursday night on ABC’s Lateline when Detective Chief Inspector Peter Fox described the anal rape of a teenage boy by the notorious paedophile priest James Fletcher.

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AUSTRALIA
ABC News

An ABC broadcaster in Perth, who was the victim of a paedophile, says the announcement of a Royal Commission into sex abuse at Australian institutions has been long overdue.

Eoin Cameron was repeatedly raped by the head Brother at the Marist College in Mt Gambier, in South Australia, when he was a student there in the 1960s.

He received an apology and compensation for the abuse but renounced his Catholicism when he recently discovered the man who abused him was honoured for services to the Church.

Mr Cameron is encouraging anyone who suffered abuse to step forward.

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AUSTRALIA
ABC News

[with video]

Victims and their families have welcomed the Prime Minister’s announcement of a royal commission into child sexual abuse, saying it is a bittersweet victory.

Pressure had been building on the Government to react to growing social and political outrage at the latest series of revelations of paedophilia in society, most of which are centred on the Catholic Church.

Julia Gillard announced yesterday the creation of a royal commission into institutional responses to instances of child sexual abuse.

The inquiry will cover the treatment of children in all institutions – not just the Catholic Church.

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AUSTRALIA
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

Posted by Nicky Davis on November 12, 2012

We applaud Prime Minister Julia Gillard for this move, but caution that this is only a first step.

Aggressive investigation of all clergy sex crimes and cover ups by institutional leaders, church officials and law enforcement – regardless of when they happened or where the wrongdoers are now – must happen simultaneously.

Particular focus should be on religious orders which often hide and transfer predator priests even more often and more effectively than bishops do.

Regardless of how this governmental inquiry proceeds, it’s imperative that victims, witnesses and whistleblowers continue to find the courage and strength to step forward, get help, call police, expose wrongdoers, protect kids and begin healing.

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UNITED STATES
National Catholic Reporter

by David Clohessy | Nov. 12, 2012

This week, all of America’s Catholic prelates are invited to the annual meeting of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. Almost all of them will certainly show up.

But because of their recent recklessness with children’s safety, some don’t deserve to be there. They should have the decency to stay home. More importantly, leaders of the conference should have the courage to disinvite them.

Let’s start with the first and most obvious bishop who should be forbidden to attend: Bishop Robert Finn of Kansas City, Mo., who was found guilty of criminally endangering kids in September. For at least five months, Finn kept hidden from police hundreds of pornographic, suggestive and inappropriate photos of young girls taken by Fr. Shawn Ratigan. Besides breaking Missouri’s mandated reporter law, Finn clearly violated both the letter and the spirit of USCCB’s Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People.

Yet so far, not one of Finn’s roughly 200 peers has even seen fit to criticize him. Our secular justice system has punished his wrongdoing. The full Catholic church hierarchy has ignored his wrongdoing.

But Finn is not the only member of the bishops’ conference who should be disinvited.

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BALTIMORE (MD)
Washington Post

By David Gibson| Religion News Service,

Updated: Monday, November 12

BALTIMORE — After sweeping setbacks to the hierarchy’s agenda on Election Day, New York Cardinal Timothy Dolan on Monday (Nov. 12) told U.S. Catholic bishops that they must now examine their own failings, confess their sins and reform themselves if they hope to impact the wider culture.

“That’s the way we become channels of a truly effective transformation of the world, through our own witness of a repentant heart,” Dolan, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, told the 250 bishops gathered here for their annual meeting.

“The premier answer to the question’What’s wrong with the world?’ is not politics, the economy, secularism, sectarianism, globalization or global warming … none of these, as significant as they are,” Dolan said, citing many of the issues that have become favorite targets of the hierarchy.

Instead, Dolan said, quoting English writer and Catholic convert G.K. Chesterton, the answer is contained in two words: “I am.”

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AUSTRALIA
The West Australian

Gary Adshead and Luke Eliot, The West Australian
November 13, 2012

Dark chapters of child abuse and cover-up in WA will be exposed or revisited as part of the planned royal commission announced by Prime Minister Julia Gillard.

As recently as August, _The West Australian _revealed WA Police had formed a task force to investigate 184 cases of abuse against children in State care.

But the tentacles of institutionalised sexual offending in WA can be traced back more than 60 years to the orphanages, hostels and school farms run by governments and church orders such as the Catholic-based Christian Brothers.

“There are going to be a lot of people ducking and weaving and trying put up road blocks where they can,” sexual abuse victim Todd Jefferis said. “But a royal commission will have the power to break through.”

Mr Jefferis, 39, brought Dennis John McKenna’s 15 years of systemic abuse at St Andrew’s Hostel to an end in 1990 and recently gave powerful evidence to an inquiry into how McKenna got away with molesting at least 16 children boarding at the State-run facility in Katanning.

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AUSTRALIA
ABC News

Across the Hunter Valley victims of child abuse by clergy and their families are welcoming news that after years of fighting, there will finally be a full national Royal Commission.

The wide ranging inquiry announced yesterday by the Prime Minister will investigate child abuse in institutions, such as schools, churches and foster homes, and look at how authorities responded.

Lake Macquarie woman Tracey Pirona, whose husband John was a victim of a paedophile Catholic priest and took his own life four months ago, has thanked all those who have pushed for a Royal Commission.

She says she never gave up hope that the community’s pleas would be heard.

“It’s just the people too that supported the petitions, online and out there in the community,” she said.

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AUSTRALIA
Brisbane Times

November 13, 2012

Lenore Taylor
National Affairs Correspondent for The Sydney Morning Herald

ANALYSIS

AFTER so much pain, so many shocking revelations, so many years of thankless campaigning by the betrayed and so much resistance by the accused, the fight to expose the full horrible truth about institutional child sexual abuse in Australia finally reached a tipping point yesterday.

Now the nation will experience the most wide-ranging and potentially explosive royal commission in recent history. It will run wherever the evidence directs it, no matter how long it takes and whatever the consequences.

Many of the most recent royal commissions have been into specific allegations or scandals – Labor’s controversial lease of Centenary House, the building and construction industry, the collapse of HIH insurance. Some have revealed deep wounds and difficult truths, like the four-year Royal Commission into Aboriginal Deaths in Custody.

But none has ranged this widely – looking at the treatment of children in care across all religions, schools, not-for-profit organisations, community organisations, child welfare agencies and state bodies.

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AUSTRALIA
ABC News

The Catholic and Anglican churches in Tasmania have promised to cooperate fully with a Royal Commission into the handling of child sexual abuse claims.

The Prime Minister says the national inquiry will focus on abuse in church groups, schools and state care providers.

The Archbishop of Hobart, the Most Reverend Adrian Doyle, says it has been a problem in the Catholic Church and he hopes the inquiry will provide some resolution for victims.

The Anglican Archbishop of Tasmania, the Right Reverend John Harrower, says his church has already examined the issue but he welcomes more scrutiny.

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AUSTRALIA
Brisbane Times

[with video]

November 13, 2012

Phillip Coorey, Josephine Tovey

JULIA GILLARD has launched the most comprehensive inquiry into child sexual abuse in Australia’s history with a nationwide royal commission to investigate churches, charities, state governments, schools, community organisations and even the police.

After fresh allegations last week about systemic abuses and cover-ups by the Catholic Church in NSW, federal cabinet agreed late on Monday to establish a commission that would look at the sexual abuse of children inside institutions and the frequent and often deliberate failure to do anything about it.

”Any instance of child abuse is a vile and evil thing,” the Prime Minister said.

”Child abuse is a vile and evil thing” … Julia Gillard announcing the commission. Photo: Channel Ten

”There have been too many adults who have averted their eyes to this evil.

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UNITED STATES
Sacramento Bee

By Catholics for Choice

Published: Monday, Nov. 12, 2012

BALTIMORE, Nov. 12, 2012 — /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ — As the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) gathers today, Catholics for Choice called on the bishops to engage in a serious examination of conscience as they reflect on their divisive political activities this year and the millions of dollars they spent trying to influence elections.

“The bishops had a miserable return on investment of Catholic people’s money and we demand an accounting of how they spent it campaigning on measures that Catholics clearly did not support,” said Jon O’Brien, president of Catholics for Choice. “As the bishops meet today, they are going to have to face the reality of these failures and acknowledge that they cannot pour in enough money, even spending outside of their dioceses, to buy measures at the state level that allow for discrimination and blur the line between church and state. Each bishop at this meeting should carefully question if this failed attempt at politicking truly serves the social justice mission of the Catholic Church.”

“This meeting is an opportunity for the bishops to realize the error of their ways and promise to go and politicize no more,” said O’Brien. “We hope this reflection will lead to members of the USCCB ending their divisive campaigning and returning to their role as pastors.”

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SCHWEIZ
Kipa

Schwyz, 11.11.12 (Kipa) Der Kanton Schwyz soll die Geschichten der Heim- und Verdingkinder aufarbeiten. Dies fordert ein Vorstoss der CVP-Kantonsratfraktion, der nächste Woche eingereicht werden soll. Dies berichtete die Zuger Ausgabe der “Zentralschweiz am Sonntag”. Die Aufarbeitung der Geschichten wird auch kirchliche Ordensgemeinschaften betreffen.

Das Interesse der Politik auf die Geschichten der Heimkinder sei durch einen Leserbrief eines ehemaligen Steiner Heimkindes in der Neuen Schwyzer Zeitung geweckt worden, schreibt die Zentralschweiz am Sonntag. Im Brief wurde gefordert, dass auch der Kanton Schwyz die Geschichten “schonungslos aufarbeiten” müsse. Die CVP-Kantonsratsfraktion möchte nun mit einem Postulat die Aufarbeitung anstossen. Man sei sich bewusst, dass das Thema umfangreiche Abklärungen erfordere, sagte Andreas Meyerhans, Präsident der kantonalen CVP, gegenüber der Zeitung. Vor allem gebe es im Staatsarchiv nur wenige Unterlagen zu den Schicksalen von Heimkindern. Die meisten Dokumente würden in den Gemeindearchiven lagern. Fast in allen Gemeinden im Kanton hätte es um 1900 ein Armenhaus gegeben.

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AUSTRALIEN
kathweb

Anlass für Einberufung waren neue Vorwürfe über Vertuschung von Missbrauchsfällen durch katholische Kirche und Polizei

12.11.2012

Canberra, 12.11.2012 (KAP) In Australien wird eine Königliche Kommission das Ausmaß des sexuellen Missbrauchs von Kindern und Jugendlichen in kirchlichen, staatlichen und privaten Institution untersuchen. Premierministerin Julia Gillard kündigte die Einsetzung der Royal Commission in einer am Montag veröffentlichten Erklärung an. “Die in vergangener Zeit bekanntgewordenen Vorwürfe über den sexuellen Missbrauch von Kindern sind herzzerreißend. Das sind widerliche, üble Akte, denen kein Kind ausgesetzt sein sollte”, betonte Gillard.

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OSTERREICH
Gagen Sexuelle Gewalt

Die Kath. Kirche Österreich hat von den Vorfällen der letzten Jahre nichts gelernt. Sie suspendiert die Pfarrer und Geistlichen, schickt sie wie Kardinal Groer nach Bayern in ein Sexverbrecher-Therapie- Kloster mit hellsichtigen Therapeuten und glaubt dann einen grunderneuerten Menschen in wenigen Wochen erschaffen zu haben. Die Wunder der kath. Kirche in Bayern müssten sich ja herumsprechen, oder nicht?

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DEUTSCHLAND
RTL

Bilder von Schülern auf nackte Körper montiert

Ein Foto von jedem seiner Schüler, damit er sich ihre Namen besser merken konnte. So hat Gregor B. seine merkwürdige Fotosession begründet. Doch dann soll der katholische Religionslehrer vom Gymnasium Lechenich im Rhein-Erft-Kreis die Bilder als Fotomontagen für Pornoseiten benutzt haben. Schüler und Eltern sind entsetzt.

Monatelang habe der 32-jährige Lehrer die Fotos von Schülerinnen und Mädchen aus der Jugendeinrichtung seiner Gemeinde für sein übles Hobby missbraucht. So soll er die Bilder auf fremde nackte Körper montiert haben, bevor er sie ins Netz stellte.

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DEUTSCHLAND
MissBiT

Klassisches Beispiel für die Versetzungspraxis von “einschlägig vorbestraften” Priestern: Die Vorgesetzten werden nicht informiert. Der Täter landet – mal wieder – in der Seelsorge und wird erneut auffällig

Als die katholische Kirche über Missbrauchsskandale debattierte, wurde auch der Fall D. aufgedeckt. Die jetzt abgeurteilten Übergriffe waren nicht die einzigen, die sich der Priester hatte zuschulden kommen lassen. Er war sozusagen zur “Bewährung” nach einschlägigen Strafen im Bistum Fulda ins Erfurter Bistum versetzt worden.

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DEUTSCHLAND
TLZ

Sechs Jahre hat Tina (Name von der Redaktion geändert) gebraucht, bis sie sich endlich ihren Eltern offenbarte. Sechs Jahre, in denen das Mädchen geschwiegen und alles in sich hineingefressen hat. Jetzt hat das Amtsgericht Sömmerda einen vorläufigen juristischen Schlussstrich unter die Geschichte gezogen, die in Weimar und Umgebung hohe Wellen geschlagen hat.

Sömmerda/Weimar. Der katholische Priester D. wurde vom Gericht zu einer Haftstrafe von 15 Monaten auf Bewährung verurteilt und zur Zahlung einer Geldstrafe von 10.000 Euro an eine gemeinnützige Organisation. Zwei Einzelstrafen wurden zu der Gesamtstrafe zusammengezogen. Das bestätigte die Betroffene ebenso wie ihr seelsorgerischer Beistand der TLZ. Die Justizbehörden schwiegen sich zu dem Urteil aus. Pfarrer D. hatte sich der damals Zehnjährigen im unmittelbaren kirchlichen Kontext unsittlich genähert.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.

MISSOURI
Fox 4

[with video]

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Jackson County authorities said a Grandview woman’s death in late October initially appeared to be a suicide, until a man confessed to killing the her on Friday.

The Jackson County Prosecutor’s Office said Bethany Deaton was found dead inside a car on Oct. 30, at Longview Lake. A probable cause statement said there was a note that read, “My name is Bethany Deaton. I chose this evil thing. I did it because I wouldn’t be a real person and what is the point of living if it is too late for that? I wish I had chosen differently a long time ago. I knew it all and refused to listen. Maybe Jesus will still save me.” The statement also said there were pills found near Deaton.

But according to her admitted killer, 23-year-old Micah Moore, it was all a cover-up to keep Deaton quiet.

The statement said witnesses told detectives they were a part of a “religious community” where they had sex with each other. Witnesses told detectives Deaton’s husband, Tyler Deaton, was the leader.

In the statement, Moore told detectives Bethany Deaton was being sexually assaulted by him, and several men at a home in Grandview. That is how Moore said he knew Deaton and her husband.

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SEATTLE (WA)
O’Dea High School

November 2012

Dear Friends,

Along with the entire school community, I am pleased that you are considering O’Dea High School. As a parent, you have many options, and I want to assure you that if you choose O’Dea for your son, he will receive a quality Catholic education in a wonderful environment. His education will be based on the Gospel of Jesus Christ in a community that lives its faith in prayer and service to others.

O’Dea is committed to the academic, spiritual, social and physical growth of young men and since 1923 has provided an environment rich in ethnic and economic diversity, strong in traditional values and sound in academic foundation. As a school of the Archdiocese of Seattle, it also maintains a commitment to providing a safe environment for students.

Unfortunately, recent media reports have questioned our commitment to the safety and security of the young men in our care. Former principal Brother Karl Walczak was recently accused of sexual abuse in another diocese in the early 1970s. Brother Walczak denies the allegation. Some media reports carried false charges that the church and the school attempted to conceal this information and that students at O’Dea may be in harm’s way.

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VATICAN CITY
National Catholic Reporter

by Cindy Wooden,Catholic News Service | Nov. 12, 2012

Vatican City —
A Vatican court found Claudio Sciarpelletti, a computer expert in the Secretariat of State, guilty of aiding and abetting the papal butler, who was convicted of stealing sensitive Vatican correspondence.

The three-judge panel hearing the case Saturday initially sentenced Sciarpelletti to four months in jail but reduced the sentence to two months, saying Sciarpelletti had never been in trouble with the law and previously had served the Vatican well.

The judges suspended even the two-month sentence and said that if over the next five years he commits no other crimes, the penalty would be lifted.

The Vatican court indicted Sciarpelletti in August, accusing him of helping Paolo Gabriele, the papal butler, by obstructing the Vatican investigation of the butler’s role in stealing, photocopying and leaking private Vatican correspondence to an Italian journalist. The butler is serving an 18-month sentence in a cell in the Vatican police barracks.

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AUSTRALIA
The Age

November 13, 2012

Jane Lee

TEARS were shed at a state inquiry into child abuse on Monday, hours before Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced a federal royal commission into the issue.

Pam Krstic, an educational and child protection adviser for the Melbourne Victims’ Collective, broke down while giving evidence to the inquiry’s six-member committee.

”Since 2006, when I lost my job as a teacher in a Catholic school over my concerns about a priest … I’m still horrified at the utter disregard for the ongoing (plight) of the many students placed at risk by the (convicted) paedophile priests in my parish,” Ms Krstic said.

She said when one of the priests disappeared in 1994, she was deputy principal of the school and there were no policies in place to communicate with victims and their families.

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IRELAND
Herald

By Elaine Keogh

Monday November 12 2012

A PRIEST who sexually abused boys, some of them brothers, has been jailed for two years at Trim Circuit Criminal Court.

Fr Raymond Brady (77) (pictured right) from Baltrasna, Oldcastle, Co Meath, was described as acting “like a predator” by Judge Michael O’Shea.

Brady admitted indecently assaulting 10 boys at different locations including the parochial houses in Drumconrath and Kilbeg.

He also admitted attempted indecent assault on another boy.

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MAINE
Bangor Daily News

By Nok-Noi Ricker, BDN Staff

Posted Nov. 12, 2012

BANGOR, Maine — For organizations and people he was associated with, the Rev. Robert Carlson’s suicide one year ago pulled back the curtain of silence surrounding the issue of child sexual abuse by people in power.

While these organizations deny knowing about Carlson’s aberrant behavior, they now say they’ve changed policies and practices after a Maine State Police report revealed abuse going back decades.

Discussing Carlson’s sexual abuse of children was the first step in healing for the East Orrington Congregational Church, where Carlson was a senior pastor for 25 years, and for Penobscot Community Health Care, where he served as president for several years before his death.

Both did internal reviews of Carlson’s role in their organizations, and each has made adjustments to policies that are designed to catch perpetrators and protect society’s most vulnerable citizens.

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AUSTRALIA
International Business Times

By Gianluca Mezzofiore

November 12, 2012

The Catholic Church in Australia is under fire after Prime Minister Julia Gillard has announced a federal inquiry into allegations of child sex abuse in churches, charities and schools.

Accusations of a massive cover-up by the Church have mounted in the past weeks after a case emerged in the Hunter Valley region north of Sidney. Officials are also investigating a separate series of priest sex abuse allegations in the state of Victoria.

“There have been too many revelations of adults who have averted their eyes from this evil. I believe in these circumstances that it’s appropriate for there to be a national response through a Royal Commission,” Gillard said.

The Royal Commission, which is the top investigating institution in Australia, will look into a wide range of cases across the nation

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AUSTRALIA
7 News

ABC
Updated November 13, 2012

The senior policeman who blew the whistle on an alleged police cover-up of church sex abuse in New South Wales has called on the Catholic Church to make radical changes to fix problems plaguing the church.

Detective Chief Inspector Peter Fox spoke to Lateline just hours after Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced the creation of .

Pressure had been building on the Government to react to growing social and political outrage at the latest series of revelations of paedophilia in society.

Most are centred on the Catholic Church, but Ms Gillard says that it is not the only focus of the inquiry, which will look into claims across the breadth of society.

Chief Inspector Fox says aspects of the Catholic Church, such as confession, must come under scrutiny.

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BALTIMORE (MD)
Survivors Network of Those Abused by Priests

Posted by David Clohessy on November 12, 2012

■Abuse victims urge action against 3 bishops
■Each has recently put children at risk, SNAP says
■And one was criminally convicted in sex case last month
■Group urges Catholic hierarchy to enforce its own policy
■A decade ago, prelates promised to discipline complicit colleagues
■But over ten years, bishops keep ignoring other bishops who endanger kids

WHAT
Outside the annual meeting of all US Catholic bishops, clergy sex abuse victims and their supporters will hold signs and childhood photos at a sidewalk news conference, urging bishop to oust or discipline three other bishops who have “recently and egregiously endangered kids.” One of them is the first – and only – American prelate to be criminally convicted (just last month) of hiding evidence of clergy child sex crimes from police for months.

WHEN
Monday, November 12 at 1:00 pm

WHERE
Outside the Baltimore Marriott Waterfront, 700 Aliceanna Street (where hundreds of bishops are meeting) in Baltimore

WHO
Three-four clergy sex abuse victims who belong to a support group called SNAP, the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests (SNAPnetwork.org) and the co-director of a Boston-based research group called BishopAccountability.org

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VATICAN CITY
Vatican Information Service

Vatican City, (VIS) – This morning the Tribunal of Vatican City State published its ruling in the trial against Claudio Sciarpelletti, the computer technician employed by the Secretariat of State implicated in the “Vatileaks” case.

The Tribunal, pursuant to Article 225 of the Penal Code, ruled that the defendant was “guilty of the offence of assisting in the elusion of the investigations by the Authorities” and “therefore sentences him to prison for four months”.

“Pursuant to Article 26 of the Law of 21 June 1969, in view of the accused’s service record and lack of previous convictions, the Tribunal reduces the sentence to imprisonment for two (2) months”. Pursuant to Article 90 of the same law, the Tribunal “orders the suspension of the sentence for a period of five years, according to the conditions of law”. In the light of Article 427 of the Penal Code, the Tribunal orders the suspension of “mention of the sentence on the record of previous offences until such time as the accused commits further offence”.

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AUSTRALIA
WA Today

November 13, 2012

Michelle Grattan, Richard Willingham and Barney Zwartz

PRIME Minister Julia Gillard has announced a sweeping royal commission into child sex abuse that will probe organisations ranging from the Catholic Church and state authorities to the Boy Scouts and sports groups.

The inquiry into institutional responses to abuse will not just look at perpetrators. It will also cover those who were ”complicit” – for example, in alleged offenders being moved around – or who by ”averting their eyes” committed acts of omission. It will also look at how police have responded to the problem

Ms Gillard said the allegations that had come to light recently were heartbreaking. ”These are insidious, evil acts to which no child should be subject,” she said.

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AUSTRALIA
Adelaide Now

PRIME Minister Julia Gillard made the correct decision to call a Royal Commission into child sex abuse within institutions such as religious bodies.

Ms Gillard did not release the terms of reference but said the inquiry will include children in the care of religious organisations, state care and not-for-profit bodies.

Demand for a Royal Commission has built in recent weeks as a series of reports on abuse within the Catholic Church and allegations of systemic cover-ups come to light.

While the Catholic Church was not explicitly mentioned by Ms Gillard yesterday, this Royal Commission provides an opportunity for the Church to free itself from the dark aspects of its past to again concentrate on the good it does within society.

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AUSTRALIA
ABC – Lateline

Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Broadcast: 12/11/2012
Reporter: Emma Alberici

Father Frank Brennan, Jesuit priest, Professor of Law at the Australian Catholic University and Professorial Visiting Fellow at the University of New South Wales, discusses the fundamental challenges ahead for the church and the call for a royal commission.

Transcript

EMMA ALBERICI, PRESENTER: Father Frank Brennan is a Jesuit priest and Professor of Law at the Australian Catholic University in Canberra.

He drove from the south coast of New South Wales to join us in our Sydney studio just a short time ago.

Father Brennan, thanks so much for coming in tonight.

FRANK BRENNAN, JESUIT PRIEST AND LAWYER: Good to be with you.

EMMA ALBERICI: Now you were opposed to a royal commission per se. What are your reservations?

FRANK BRENNAN: I was opposed to a national royal commission because I thought there were a number of state inquiries underway that could be useful. And my concern about a national commission – I would hope for the sake of victims nationwide that it will bear fruit.

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AUSTRALIA
The Australian

Rick Morton
From:The Australian
November 13, 2012

SURVIVORS of sexual abuse at the hands of the Catholic Church have expressed shock that a federal royal commission into decades-long abuse has finally been announced, calling the decision a chance to “end the betrayal”.

Nicky Davis, 49, who says she was assaulted for six years during the 1970s and 1980s by a Brother in a parish in Sydney’s north, said the news was almost too big to digest.

Ms Davis said the abuse she suffered tormented her for years until she finally reported it in 2008 after seeing advertisements for Catholic World Youth Day.

“I have suffered and thousands of others like me have suffered a sort of re-abuse at the hands of the church as they try to make all of this go away,” she told The Australian.

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AUSTRALIA
Huffington Post

By KRISTEN GELINEAU 11/12/12

SYDNEY — Australia’s prime minister ordered a federal inquiry Monday into allegations of child sex abuse in state and religious institutions and community groups following a string of sexual abuse accusations against priests and claims of a Catholic Church cover-up.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard had faced mounting pressure to order a wide-ranging investigation after the New South Wales state premier last week ordered an inquiry into allegations of a sexual abuse cover-up by Catholic priests in the Hunter Valley region north of Sydney. Victorian officials are also investigating a separate series of priest sex abuse allegations in their state.

“Any instance of child abuse is a vile and evil thing. Australians know that,” Gillard told reporters in Canberra. “Australians know, from the revelations that they’ve read in recent weeks, that too many children have suffered child abuse but have also seen other adults let them down. They’ve not only had their trust betrayed by the abuser, but other adults who could have acted to assist them have failed to do so.”

The investigation will target religious and state institutions, schools and community groups such as sporting clubs. It will also look into police responses to abuse allegations and is expected to take several years to complete.

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AUSTRALIA
The Australian

Stuart Rintoul
From:The Australian
November 13, 2012

THE Catholic Church’s internal inquiry process into sex abuse by the clergy was not only inadequate, it was responsible for further layers of harm, known as “the second wounding”, a Victorian inquiry has heard.

Helen Last, director of victims group In Good Faith, accused the church of mismanagement of abuse complaints, neglect of investigations, absence of promised pastoral support, a conflict of interest and lack of information about its inquiries.

Ms Last, commissioned by the church to establish a victim response unit within the Melbourne archdiocese before setting up In Good Faith in 1996, said victims had suffered “terrible impacts” attempting to make complaints against pedophile priests.

“This is called the second wounding, when a victim goes to some place, some person, some organisation, that they believe will really help them, that is set up for them, only to find that it is not set up for them, it is set up for another purpose, which is an institutionally based purpose,” she said.

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IRELAND
Irish Independent

By Majella O’Sullivan

Monday November 12 2012

THE Pope’s envoy to Ireland has ruled out any possibility of the ordination of women.

Papal Nuncio Archbishop Charles Brown said the church’s teaching on the subject was clear.

He said the Pope had spoken definitively on the subject in 1994 and the church was “simply unable to do that”.

His comments are at odds with the majority of Irish Catholics who believe women should be ordained.

A study commissioned by the Association of Catholic Priests in February revealed that 77pc of Catholics believed women should be ordained.

Former president Mary McAleese has also spoken out in favour of women priests and revealed recently, following the publication of her book, ‘Quo Vadis? Collegiality in the Code of Cannon Law’, how she was “lambasted” by the former Archbishop of Boston, Cardinal Bernard Francis Law, for her views.

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SCOTLAND
Daily Record

A NOTORIOUS paedophile priest has been caught enjoying a luxury cruise among families with young children.

Vile Bill Carney was joined on his Mediterranean jaunt by the wife who disowned him after the Daily Record exposed his sickening crimes.

Carney terrorised children for years in his native Ireland. An official report said he was suspected of abusing up to 32 named victims, with evidence that there were many more.

He was allowed to remain a priest for years after being convicted of indecent assault. And after he was finally defrocked in 1992, the golf-mad pervert fled to Scotland, married wife Joan and opened a “family friendly” guest house in St Andrews.

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AUSTRALIA
ABC – Lateline

[with video]

Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Broadcast: 12/11/2012
Reporter: Hamish Fitzsimmons

A victims support group has told a Victorian parliamentary inquiry that priests convicted of child sex offences are given lighter sentences than other offenders, and that no victims have been satisfied with the outcomes of the Catholic Church’s own complaints process.

Transcript

EMMA ALBERICI, PRESENTER: A Victorian parliamentary inquiry into the sexual abuse of children by religious orders has been told paedophile priests get lighter sentences than other convicted sex offenders.

The comments were made a by a victims’ support group who also claimed no victims were satisfied with the outcomes of the Catholic Church’s own complaints process.

From Melbourne, Hamish Fitzsimmons reports.

HAMISH FITZSIMMONS, REPORTER: The Catholic Church has today been accused of failing to inform parents there were paedophile priests in their midst, a supporters group telling the inquiry parents and their children sometimes found out years later about the latent danger.

PAM KRSTIC, IN GOOD FAITH & ASSOCIATES: This information is vital to be given to parents of children who have been exposed to a paedophile. It could be the difference between life and death.

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AUSTRALIA
Sydney Morning Herald

November 12, 2012

Paul Mulvey

AAP

A survivor of sexual abuse at the hands of the Christian Brothers says a royal commission will help cleanse churches of evil.

Peter Blenkiron spoke to fellow survivors who were in tears on Monday when they heard that Prime Minister Julia Gillard had bowed to pressure to set up a royal commission into child sex abuse by members of the church.

“This is massive. I’ve just been speaking to blokes in tears, tears of joy,” Mr Blenkiron told AAP.

“People have asked me what about the hardship it’s going to create for everybody. It’s a necessary short term pain for long term gain that brings out the truth.”

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IRELAND
Irish Central

By
DARA KELLY,
IrishCentral Staff Writer

Published Monday, November 12, 2012

The Irish priest admitted sexually assaulted 10 boys in the Diocese of Meath has been sentenced to two years at Trim Circuit Criminal Court.

Fr Raymond Brady from Baltrasna, Oldcastle, Co Meath, acted “like a predator”, said Judge Michael O’Shea, according to the Irish Times.

The 77-year-old priest admitted assaulting the boys, some of them brothers, at different locations including the parochial houses in Drumconrath and Kilbeg and admitted an attempted assault on another boy. According to the Times, abuse also happened in a caravan in Bettystown and in Brady’s car as he took the boys to and from funeral Masses.

The majority of the victims were altar boys aged between 11 and 17.

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AUSTRALIA
NSW Police Force

Former Catholic teacher and Catholic Brother arrested over historical assaults – Sex Crimes Squad

Monday, 12 November 2012 07:15:07 PM

A former Catholic teacher and a Catholic Brother have today been arrested by Sex Crimes Squad detectives following a number of alleged historical assaults against children dating back 25 years.

Strike Force Avia was established by the Sex Crimes Squad in October 2011 to investigate the allegations which relate to two boys, aged 13, in 1987, and one girl, aged eight, in 1985.

It will be alleged a number of the incidents occurred on school grounds at a Catholic college at Blacktown and a Catholic primary school at Lalor Park.

Just after 5pm today (Monday 12 November 2012), detectives from Strike Force Avia arrested a 58-year-old former Catholic teacher at an address in Blacktown.

He was taken to Blacktown Police Station where he is assisting with inquiries.

About 6pm, a 59-year-old Catholic Brother was arrested at an address at The Entrance.

He was taken to Wyong Police Station where he is assisting with inquiries.

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AUSTRALIA
The Australian

Dan Box
From:The Australian
November 13, 2012

A FORMER Catholic teacher and a Catholic Brother were arrested yesterday by NSW Police detectives investigating a series of alleged child sex crimes dating back 25 years.

The allegations relate to two boys aged 13 and an 8-year-old girl whom police allege were abused on two Catholic school premises in Sydney during the mid-1980s.

The 58-year-old teacher and a 59-year-old Catholic Brother were arrested by detectives from Strike Force Avia and were being interviewed by police last night.

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AUSTRALIA
Blacktown Advocate

Blacktown/Lalor Park: Former Catholic teacher and Brother arrested over alleged abuse of children

A CATHOLIC brother and a former Catholic teacher have been arrested over alleged assaults on children dating back to the 1980s.

Sex Crimes Squad detectives investigating allegations of abuse on an eight-year-old girl in 1985 and two 13-year-old boys in 1987 made the arrests on Monday evening.

Strike Force Avia was established by the Sex Crimes Squad in October 2011 to investigate the alleged abuse which occurred on school grounds at a Catholic college at Blacktown and a Catholic primary school at Lalor Park.

The 58-year-old former teacher was arrested at a Blacktown address just after 5pm and is being questioned at Blacktown police station.

A 59-year-old Catholic Brother was arrested at a property at The Entrance on the Central Coast an hour later and was being questioned at Wyong Police Station.

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AUSTRALIA
Herald Sun

THE timing was unintentional, but somewhat uncanny.

Just minutes both before and after the announcement of a royal commission into sexual abuse of children, NSW police arrested two former Catholic school employees in relation to alleged assaults against children at western Sydney schools dating back 25 years.

The arrests, made as part of the Sex Crimes Squad’s Strike Force Avia, relate to claims of the sexual assault of two 13-year-old boys in 1987, and one girl, aged eight, in 1985.

Police will allege a number of incidents took place on school grounds at a Catholic college in Bankstown and a Catholic primary school at Lalor Park.

Police last night arrested a 58-year-old former Catholic teacher at his Blacktown home, while a 59-year-old Catholic brother was arrested at an address at The Entrance.

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AUSTRALIA
Brisbane Times

[with poll]

Michelle Grattan
Political editor of The Age

THE federal government had little choice but to set up a royal commission into child sex abuse, given the horrific evidence, the extent of what has happened over many years, the cries of victims and the reaction of an appalled community.

But responding to both the problem and the public outcry brings difficulties that will become even more apparent as the work gets underway.

Obviously the commission had to go wide. While the Catholic Church has been the focus of many of the allegations, it could not be singled out.

But once you went beyond it, where to stop? It could not just look at churches. State institutions, schools of all types, sporting bodies, even the boy scouts – the list is endless and the PM says they are all to be included.

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AUSTRALIA
The Australian

Rosanne Barrett and Stuart Rintoul
From:The Australian
November 13, 2012

CHILD-PROTECTION advocates around Australia yesterday welcomed the national focus on the issue, claiming that a Royal Commission had the potential to change the way complaints were dealt with.

University of South Australia Emeritus Professor Freda Briggs, who wrote a report into the handling of sexual abuse complaints in Brisbane’s Anglican diocese, said she was “absolutely delighted” at Julia Gillard’s announcement of a royal commission, as were “most people who have children’s wellbeing at heart”.

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AUSTRALIA
ABC – 7.30

Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Broadcast: 12/11/2012
Reporter: Leigh Sales

Brendan O’Connor, Acting Minister for Families, joins us from Parliament House to explain the Government’s decision to announce a Royal Commission into institutionalised child abuse.

Transcript
LEIGH SALES, PRESENTER: Joining me now from Parliament House in Canberra is the Acting Minister for Families, Brendan O’Connor.

Mr O’Connor, what’s triggered this Royal commission are child sex abuse allegations in the Catholic Church. Why not have a targeted, clearly-defined investigation into that institution?

BRENDAN O’CONNOR, ACTING MINISTER FOR FAMILIES: Well I think we’ve seen now the child sex abuse allegations come to light in such a broad way across the country that there needs to be an appropriate response. We’ve also seen state governments inquire into child sex abuse in a particularly confined way. The Federal Government had to make a decision, and indeed the Prime Minister has made that decision in consultation of course with cabinet, to recommend to the Governor-General that we establish a Royal commission because it’s the best means by which we can ensure that we allow the victims’ voices to be heard, allow claims to be investigated, and most importantly, perhaps, ensure that we examine thoroughly the institutional responses to child sex abuse.

LEIGH SALES: But my question is: why is the Royal commission not confined to the Catholic Church? Are you not running the risk of diluting it by broadening it and ensuring that it could go on for years, if not decades?

BRENDAN O’CONNOR: Well the child sex abuse offences and indeed allegations of child sex abuse are not confined to one church. They’re not confined to one religious organisation. Unfortunately, offences against children have occurred to children in state care and indeed have occurred to children under the care in other religious organisations and of course also not-for-profit organisations. It would be very unfair and quite cruel to confine the examination – or the commission’s examination to one body.

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AUSTRALIA
The Australian

Dan Box, Justine Ferrari
From:The Australian
November 13, 2012

CATHOLIC archbishops last night supported the decision to set up a royal commission into institutional child abuse, but denied the existence of systemic sexual abuse within their church.

“Sexual abuse is not confined to the Catholic Church. Tragically, it occurs in families, churches, community groups, schools and other organisations,” said a statement agreed by the archbishops.

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AUSTRALIA
ABC – 7.30

Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Broadcast: 12/11/2012
Reporter: Leigh Sales

Former Bishop for Toowoomba William Morris joins us from Brisbane to reflect on the Prime Minister’s announcement of a royal commission into child abuse within institutions.

Transcript

LEIGH SALES, PRESENTER: Bishop Bill Morris was once chairman of a nationwide policy that set Catholic policy in handling abuse allegations. He also used to be the bishop in Toowoomba in Queensland. He joined me from Brisbane a short time ago.

Bishop Morris, thank you very much for your time.

BILL MORRIS, FORMER BISHOP OF TOOWOOMBA: It’s my privilege, Leigh.

LEIGH SALES: What’s your view on the Royal commission that the Prime Minister’s announced?

BILL MORRIS: I’m very happy that she has gone down this line because I think because of this most important question with regards to the vulnerable people in our community, the children, I think if we’re going to get to the bottom of all that’s happened in this context, say, of child sexual abuse, in all areas, then I think the Royal commission is the way to go.

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AUSTRALIA
9 News

Australia’s most senior Catholic believes the royal commission announced on Monday will uncover the truth about the child sex abuse scandal.

Cardinal George Pell, who has previously said he believes his church has been unfairly targeted due to “anti-Catholic prejudice”, said he hoped the new investigation would clear the air.

“Public opinion remains unconvinced that the Catholic church has dealt adequately with sexual abuse,” he said in a statement on Monday night.

“Ongoing and at times one-sided media coverage has deepened this uncertainty. This is one of the reasons for my support for this royal commission.

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AUSTRALIA
Newcastle Herald

PM: I’m here to announce that I will be recommending to the Governor-General that a Royal Commission be appointed to inquire into institutional responses to instances and allegations of child abuse in Australia.

Any instance of child abuse is a vile and evil thing. Australians know that, and Australians know from the revelations that they’ve read in recent weeks that too many children have suffered child abuse.

They have also seen other adults let them down.

They’ve not only had their trust betrayed by the abuser, but other adults that could have acted to assist them have failed to do so.

There have been revelations of child abusers being moved from place to place rather than the nature of their abuse and their crimes being dealt with.

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AUSTRALIA
Herald Sun

AS Australians begin to appreciate the gravity of the Prime Minister’s royal commission into child abuse, victims have emotionally welcomed the “necessary cleansing” of evil.

Peter Blenkiron, a victim of abuse at the hands of the Christian Brothers, spoke to fellow survivors who were in tears when they heard that Julia Gillard had set up a royal commission into child sex abuse by members of the church and other organisations.

“This is massive. I’ve just been speaking to blokes in tears, tears of joy,” Mr Blenkiron said.

“People have asked me what about the hardship it’s going to create for everybody. It’s a necessary short-term pain for long-term gain that brings out the truth.”

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AUSTRALIA
Canberra Times

November 13, 2012

Barney Zwartz

VICTIMS of clergy sex abuse were elated, and some wept tears of joy, at the news there will be a royal commission into institutional responses to child sex abuse.

Even the Catholic Church in Australia supported the announcement – saying the bishops shared ”the feelings of horror and outrage which all decent people feel when they read the reports of sexual abuse and allegations of cover-up” – but denying there was a systemic problem in the church.

Nicky Davis, spokeswoman for SNAP (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests) said victims were ”completely overjoyed”.

”There will be mixed emotions as well, because it brings up that our voice has been suppressed for so long and we’ve been abandoned, but it’s a joyous day,” Ms Davis said.

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AUSTRALIA
The Daily Telegraph

David Penberthy
The Daily Telegraph
November 13, 2012

THERE is a textbook study in how not to handle allegations of systematic child sexual abuse and it was written by the retired Anglican bishop Peter Hollingworth.

The mistakes made by Hollingworth cost him his job as governor-general. They are now being repeated, arguably to an even graver and more offensive degree, by Catholic Archbishop George Pell.

Hollingworth’s biggest misjudgement in the scandal surrounding his knowledge of and response to child abuse in his church was to go on Australian Story and declare that a young female victim of abuse had actually instigated the sexual contact herself.

George Pell had his own Hollingworth moment on Sunday when he declared that he wants the NSW Police to wade through the total number of child abuse cases on their books so that the public can get a sense of what proportion of such cases involve the Catholic Church. This was his quote in full:

“We’ll try and find out from the police how many cases of child abuse they have on their books – I believe it is thousands – and how many of them relate to Catholic priests and teachers. I suspect it will be very, very small indeed.”

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AUSTRALIA
The Daily Telegraph

[with video]

Gemma Jones and Andrew Clennell
The Daily Telegraph
November 13, 2012

ABUSE of children and subsequent cover-ups by churches and others will be investigated by a sweeping royal commission, Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced last night.

The historic inquiry was prompted amid mounting pressure, following NSW Police Detective Chief Inspector Peter Fox’s claims the Catholic church had hindered police, destroyed evidence and moved offending priests in relation to child abuse investigations.

Ms Gillard said the commission, which could stretch on for years, would look at all church groups, all schools, public entities, and private, not-for-profit and community groups.Ms Gillard said there had been too many adults who had “averted their eyes” from the issue and a systematic failure of abused children called for a national response through a royal commission.

“Over the past few weeks we’ve seen revelations in the newspapers which really go to the question of cover-up, of other adults not doing what they should have done to come to assist,” she said.

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AUSTRALIA
Big Pond News

Monday, November 12, 2012

A royal commission to investigate the responses of religious, state and community groups to acts and allegations of child sexual abuse will be appointed by the end of the year.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced on Monday she would ask Governor-General Quentin Bryce to set up the inquiry, which would have no deadline and could run for years, amid calls for a national response by federal Labor, independent and Greens MPs.

‘Any instance of child abuse is a vile and evil thing. Australians know that,’ Ms Gillard told reporters in Canberra on Monday.

‘Australians know, from the revelations that they’ve read in recent weeks, that too many children have suffered child abuse but have also seen other adults let them down.

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AUSTRALIA
Sydney Morning Herald

November 13, 2012

Phillip Coorey, Josephine Tovey

JULIA GILLARD has launched the most comprehensive inquiry into child sexual abuse in Australia’s history with a nationwide royal commission to investigate churches, charities, state governments, schools, community organisations and even the police.

After fresh allegations last week about systemic abuses and cover-ups by the Catholic Church in NSW, federal cabinet agreed late on Monday to establish a commission that would look at the sexual abuse of children inside institutions and the frequent and often deliberate failure to do anything about it.

”Any instance of child abuse is a vile and evil thing,” the Prime Minister said.

”There have been too many adults who have averted their eyes to this evil.

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TEXAS
CBS 7 News

November 11, 2012

Big Spring – A grand jury hands down charges against a former youth minister accused of sexually abusing a child.

Seventy-year-old, Samuel Lee Lyte was indicted last week on several child sex charges and tampering with evidence.

Lyte was arrested last month.

The pastor of Mt. Bethel Church confirms Lyte met the alleged victim after he was hired by the church in 2010.

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AUSTRALIA
9 News

A wide-ranging royal commission into Australian institutional responses to child sex abuse may help heal shattered lives, the Australian Greens say.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard will ask Governor-General Quentin Bryce to set up the inquiry into institutional responses to instances and allegations of child abuse in Australia, with a focus on sex abuse.

Australian Greens leader Christine Milne said it would be welcome, if difficult, news for thousands of Australians.

“I hope this can bring some peace and justice to shattered lives, lift the shadow off all those good people in the church striving to do good for others, and make sure nothing like this ever happens again,” she said in a statement on Monday.

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AUSTRALIA
Armidale Express

By Sean Nicholls
Nov. 12, 2012

The leader of the Christian Democratic Party in NSW, the Reverend Fred Nile, has accused the major parties of being “nervous” about pursuing a wide-ranging inquiry into child sexual abuse because it might uncover abuse by one of their own.

Reverend Nile said he was puzzled by the announcement by the Premier, Barry O’Farrell, of a special commission of inquiry into allegations of interference in police investigations of alleged paedophile priests in the Hunter region.

“I find it puzzling why it was so restricted to the Hunter when there’s reports outside of that area,” he said.

“I think [Mr O’Farrell] should be looking further than that. I don’t know why you would restrict it to one area because priests and brothers get moved around.”

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AUSTRALIA
Armidale Express

By Phillip Coorey, Jessica Wright and Judith Ireland
Nov. 12, 2012

Tony Abbott says the Coalition would support a government-backed royal commission into child sexual abuse, providing it inquires beyond the Catholic Church.

His move came as former prime minister Kevin Rudd said he backed calls for a royal commission on child sexual abuse within the Catholic Church if state inquiries required bolstering.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard is considering calls for a federal inquiry but declined today to respond to the growing clamour for action as cabinet minister Penny Wong said any inquiry should be “full, frank and fearless”.

Mr Abbott said the coalition ‘‘would be prepared to support’’ a wide-ranging royal commission investigation into the sexual abuse of children providing it was both proposed by the government and was not limited to one institution .

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AUSTRALIA
BBC News

Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has announced a national inquiry into institutional responses to the sexual abuse of children.

The move followed pressure from lawmakers amid police claims the Roman Catholic Church had concealed evidence of paedophile priests.

The inquiry will look at religious groups, NGOs and state-care providers as well as government agencies.

Ms Gillard said a Royal Commission was the best way to investigate the claims.

Late last week, the state of New South Wales announced an inquiry after a top policeman, Detective Chief Inspector Peter Fox, accused the church of trying to silence investigations into allegations of abuse.

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AUSTRALIA
NEWS.com.au

Prime Minister Julia Gillard has announced a royal commission into institutional responses to allegations of child abuse in Australia.

Speaking at a press conference shortly before 6pm, the prime minister announced the royal commission against a backdrop of “too many revelations” which had placed the subject before even greater public scrutiny in recent times.

“Too many have suffered … too many other adults have let them down,” she said.

“Child abuse is always wrong, always heartbreaking, always distressing.”

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AUSTRALIA
The Australian

Malcolm Farr
From: AAP
November 12, 2012

A ROYAL commission will be held into “vile and evil” child sexual abuse after cabinet today approved Julia Gillard’s plan for Australia’s most extensive inquiry into the protection of minors.

It will look at the history of religious groups, sporting organisations, Scouts and Guides, schools and state institutions.

Ms Gillard said too many children had suffered abuse and too many adults had let them down.

“Any instance of child abuse is an evil and vile thing,” she said.

“It is appropriate for there to be a national response through a royal commission. This, I hope, will help with the healing.”

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AUSTRALIA
Illawarra Mercury

By STEPHEN JONES
Nov. 12, 2012

I believe the federal Government should set up a Royal Commission into systemic child abuse, and cover up by churches and others. I don’t rush quickly to the call for Royal Commissions. They have great investigative powers which, when combined with the constant scrutiny of the mass media, can alter the course of public opinion and personal reputation well in advance of any findings and recommendations being recorded. I believe they should only be used where it is clear that policing and judicial determination have failed. It appears that this is such a case.

This is not because there is some grand conspiracy between police, courts and church organisations. I don’t believe this is the case. But what is clear, and in some instances admitted, is that the Church organisations actively sort to cover up their offences.

Cardinal Pell attempted to explain this in an interview with The Weekend Australia:

“It wasn’t just the Catholic Church that hoped (an abusive priest) would amend their conduct and give them a home somewhere else,” he said.

“Back in those days, they were entitled to think of pedophilia as simply a sin that you would repent of. They didn’t realise that in the worst cases it was an addiction, a raging addiction.”

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AUSTRALIA
The Australian

[Submissions – Parliament of Victoria]

By Paul Mulvey
From: AAP
November 12, 2012

SOME Catholic priests have used guns, knives and dogs in their sexual assaults on children and women, an inquiry has heard.

Victoria’s parliamentary inquiry into child sexual abuse heard stunning evidence on Monday, including claims of bestiality, hospital chaplains raping patients, student priests being sexually assaulted in the seminary, a priest carrying a gun around a school playground and boys on altar boy camp being assaulted for a week by seminarians in charge of the camp.

Helen Last, the director of advocacy group In Good Faith, says abuse victims have told stories of priests keeping guns and knives in their presbytery, while one told her that some clergy “introduced dogs into assaults of children”.

Ms Last told the inquiry the Catholic Church took 15 years to deal with priest Peter Searson, now deceased, who was accused of carrying a gun with him in the playground in the mid 1990s, while another priest kept a pistol in his glovebox.

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AUSTRALIA
Armidale Express

By Barney Zwartz
Nov. 12, 2012

THIS journalist has used up a few dead trees in criticising politicians for tardy and inadequate responses to clergy sex abuse of children. So it is with real pleasure that I and surely most Australians congratulate Prime Minister Julia Gillard and her cabinet for calling a royal commission into institutional responses to child sex abuse.

Opposition Leader Tony Abbott, who some cruelly claim takes his orders directly from Cardinal George Pell, also deserves credit for offering the bipartisan support needed to smooth its path.

The details, including the terms of reference, have yet to emerge, but Gillard’s announcement of the scope it will cover – all religions, state care, not-for-profit organisations, schools, child welfare agencies and police – is encouraging.

It’s also encouraging that the PM suggested the inquiry would take as long as it needed. In Ireland the process took nine years but was deeply cathartic. South Africa’s Truth and Reconciliation Commission had a similar role.

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AUSTRALIA
The Guardian (United Kingdom)

Alison Rourke in Sydney
guardian.co.uk, Monday 12 November 2012

Australia is to hold a wide-ranging judicial inquiry into child sex abuse in the country, including investigations into religious organisations, state care facilities, schools, not-for-profit groups and the responses of child services agencies and the police.

The royal commission follows growing pressure for a national inquiry after a senior police officer last week alleged that the Catholic church had covered up evidence involving paedophile priests. However, the inquiry’s scope is expected to cover a wide range of institutions involved in the care of children.

“Child abuse, child sex abuse is a vile thing – it’s an evil thing done by evil people,” said prime minister, Julia Gillard, announcing the royal commission on Monday.

“It’s not just the evil of the people who do it. There has been a systemic failure to respond to it. The allegations that have come to light recently about child sexual abuse have been heartbreaking. These are insidious, evil acts to which no child should be subject. There have been too many revelations of adults who have averted their eyes from this evil.”

The Australian Catholic Bishops Conference released a statement saying it supported the royal commission and that child abuse was an issue for the entire community, not just the Catholic church. While the statement acknowledged there were significant problems in some Catholic dioceses and religious orders, it rejected suggestions there were systemic problems of sexual abuse in the church.

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AUSTRALIA
WA Today

[with video]

November 13, 2012

Michelle Grattan and Richard Willingham

PRIME Minister Julia Gillard has announced a sweeping royal commission into child sex abuse that will probe organisations ranging from the Catholic Church and state authorities to the Boy Scouts and sporting groups.

The inquiry into institutional responses to abuse will not just look at perpetrators. It will also cover those who were ”complicit” – for example, in alleged offenders being moved around – or who by ”averting their eyes” committed acts of omission. It will also look at how police have responded to the problem

Ms Gillard said the allegations that had come to light recently were heartbreaking. ”These are insidious, evil acts to which no child should be subject,” she said.

The victims deserved the ”most thorough of investigations” and to have their voices heard, she said.

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AUSTRALIA
Yahoo! News

Sky News

Australia’s prime minister has announced a royal commission that will look at institutional responses to alleged child sex abuse after a series of scandals involving paedophile priests.

Julia Gillard’s comments follow claims by a senior policeman that the Catholic Church in an area of New South Wales destroyed evidence and silenced investigations.

The country’s leader had faced increasing pressure to establish a national inquiry after the recent allegations as well as an ongoing inquiry in Victoria state, but said the probe would be broader than just the Catholic Church.

Ms Gillard said: “There have been too many revelations of adults who have averted their eyes from this evil. I believe in these circumstances that it is appropriate for there to be a national response through a royal commission.”

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AUSTRALIA
The Hindu (India)

The investigation will target religious and state institutions, schools and community groups such as sporting clubs and will also look into police responses to abuse allegations

Australia’s prime minister ordered a federal inquiry on Monday into allegations of child sex abuse in religious institutions, state institutions and community groups following a string of sexual abuse accusations against priests and claims of a Catholic Church cover-up.

Prime Minister Julia Gillard had faced mounting pressure to order a wide-ranging investigation after the New South Wales state premier, last week, ordered an inquiry into allegations of a sexual abuse cover-up by Catholic priests in the Hunter Valley region north of Sydney. Victorian officials are also investigating a separate series of priest sex abuse allegations in their state.

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AUSTRALIA
Herald Sun

Susie O’Brien
From:Herald Sun
November 13, 2012

WHY is the Catholic Church continuing to protect and forgive paedophiles?

That is the only way to interpret the church’s desire to allow allegations of abuse made in the confessional to be exempt from mandatory reporting to police. Bowing to public pressure, the church has agreed with mandatory reporting of child abuse by priests and church officials. That is long overdue.

We need an urgent change to state laws to ensure mandatory reporting includes priests and other religious figures. At present, it’s confined just to doctors, nurses, teachers and police.

But mandatory reporting by priests is absolutely meaningless unless claims made in the confessional are included.

You would think the Catholic Church wouldn’t want to absolve paedophiles, but to hand them over to authorities. And yet the church wants to allow confessions by child abusers, or confessions by those involved in the cover-up of child abuse, then take no further action than a few Hail Marys.

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IRELAND
Irish Times

PATSY McGARRY, Religious Affairs Correspondent

A new Catholic lay organisation agreed a “statement of objectives” at its first general meeting at the weekend, committing it “to the pursuit of a reform and renewal agenda in the Irish Catholic Church based on the letter and the spirit of Vatican II”.

About 350 people attended the meeting of the Association of Catholics in Ireland (ACI), which also agreed to set up a website and governance structures, with elections to be held at an agm next year, when there will be a formal launch and a recruitment campaign.

In the interim a steering committee set up in Dublin last May will prepare the organisation’s next steps. It was agreed the ACI would maintain its close relationship with the Association of Catholic Priests (ACP).

Its statement of objectives also said the ACI believed “the spirit is present in the voices of all the baptised” and in “the consequent right of all the baptised to have their voices heard in the formation of church teaching and to participate fully in the life of the church, including decision-making” at all levels.

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AUSTRALIA
The Australian

AAP
November 12, 2012

KEY independent MP Tony Windsor will tell Prime Minister Julia Gillard the government needs to do something about allegations of child sex abuse inside the Catholic Church and attempts to cover them up.

The MP has also called on the nation’s most senior Catholic priest to show some leadership on claims of pedophilia within all religious organisations.

Mr Windsor says he will write to the prime minister on Monday, expressing his concerns about the “enormous number” of people affected by the allegations of abuse.

“They feel as though the system is letting them down,” he told ABC radio.

“My advice to the prime minister and others … is it is probably better to deal with this sooner rather than later.”

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AUSTRALIA
The Australian

Ken McGregor
From: News Limited Network
November 12, 2012

PRESSURE is mounting on Julia Gillard to launch a Royal Commission into child sex abuse within the Catholic Church following public demands from key independents, and the Greens.

The calls, from Greens leader Christine Milne, Independents Tony Windsor, Nick Xenophon and Craig Thompson, come amid calls from the Prime Minister’s own backbench to support a Royal Commission.

There are already state based commissions into sex abuse within the clergy currently underway in New South Wales and Victoria.

A Royal Commission would give investigators national and expansive powers to expose any alleged cover ups.

A victims group will today present to the Victorian government inquiry a list of 18 convicted pedophile priests who were moved from parish to parish or further away, where they continued offending.

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AUSTRALIA
The Age

Josephine Tovey
State Political Reporter

FORMER prime minister Malcolm Fraser has joined independent MP Tony Windsor and Senator Nick Xenophon in calling for a national royal commission on sexual abuse by religious groups and other institutions, following claims by a senior police officer last week that the Catholic Church was still covering up the crime.

New South Wales premier Barry O’Farrell announced a special commission of inquiry to examine the police investigations of paedophile priests in the Hunter region but resisted the call for a royal commission, as have federal politicians from the major parties.

Mr Fraser said the Catholic Church should have nothing to fear from a royal commission if it had nothing to hide.

”Isn’t it time we laid the issue at rest and made sure that all the institutions in Australia have procedures in place that will protect children?” Mr Fraser asked.

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AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND
The Age

November 12, 2012

Rory Callinan
Investigative journalist

MORE than 70 per cent of the brothers in the St John of God order are suspected child abusers and Sydney Archbishop George Pell should immediately shut the order down, says a psychologist employed by the order to meet with its scores of abuse victims.

Dr Michelle Mulvihill, who met more than 120 of the order’s child abuse victims during compensation negotiations between 1998 and 2007, said on Sunday that Cardinal Pell had been aware of a loan made by the Catholic Development Fund to assist the order which was facing financial problems because of the compensation claims from victims.

She also alleged that the order had never properly supervised suspected paedophile brothers and hid documents relating to the child abuse around its properties in Australia in places where police ”would never find them”.

Almost 200 victims have sought compensation after alleging they were abused in special schools and homes run by the brothers in Victoria, New South Wales and New Zealand.

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UNITED KINGDOM
The Guardian

Josh Halliday
The Guardian, Sunday 11 November 2012

Victims of child abuse may be afraid to speak out for fear of being attacked by the media as part of a “sensationalist witch-hunt”, a former children’s minister has warned.

Tim Loughton, Conservative MP for East Worthing and Shoreham, said he worried that victims would fear they would be “taken out to dry” by the media in the scramble to name public figures as paedophiles.

“We’re forgetting that this whole issue is not about the management of the BBC, it’s not about the Leveson inquiry, and it’s not about celebrities or politicians. It’s about the fact that a lot of children have been abused over many years and many of them have never had their stories believed or investigated,” Loughton said.

“The media has made it into a sensationalist witch-hunt rather than focusing on what are horrific levels of abuse over many, many years.”

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AUSTRALIA
Armidale Express

By STEPHEN JEFFERY
Nov. 12, 2012

NEW England politicians have joined calls for a national royal commission on allegations of sexual abuse within the Catholic Church.

The state government announced a special commission of inquiry into the police force’s handling of child sex abuse allegations against priests in the Hunter on Friday.

Although it will have the powers of a royal commission, the inquiry’s focus has been described as a ‘decoy’ and too narrow in scope.

State Member for Northern Tablelands Richard Torbay and federal Member for New England Tony Windsor claimed a national inquiry, rather than one focusing on a single state or region, was required.

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IRELAND
The Nationalist

Speculation is mounting this evening that the passing of the Children’s Referendum could be challenged in the courts.

It follows the Supreme Court ruling just 48 hours before polling day, which found that the government’s information campaign was one-sided in favour of the Yes campaign.

The controversy has sparked questions about whether the Referendum Commission should have been solely responsible for the production and distribution of information on the ballot.

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IRELAND
Irish Times

AOIFE CARR

Children’s rights campaigners have warmly welcomed the referendum result, describing it as an historic day for children.

Barnardos chief executive Fergus Finlay said he was delighted by the outcome.

“We’re not going to wake up tomorrow morning and discover that every child in Ireland is suddenly healthier, happier and safer than they were yesterday. There’s a lot of work to be done. This is the start of the work, this is the first piece of the jigsaw. But it’s a really really important piece of the jigsaw.

He criticised the “ferocious scaremongering” carried out by the No side saying it didn’t surprise him in the slightest that people ended up alarmed and confused.

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AUSTRALIA
Eureka Street

Michael Mullins November 11, 2012

If there is anything amusing about the Iraq War, it is the reality-defying propaganda broadcasts of President Saddam Hussein’s information minister Muhammad Saeed al-Sahhaf, otherwise known as ‘Comical Ali’. As the Americans were closing in on Baghdad in 2003, he extolled the invincibility of the Iraqi Army and the permanence of Saddam’s rule.

Those paying close attention to media coverage of clergy sexual abuse might find Cardinal George Pell’s defence of the Church hard to swallow. He suggested to The Weekend Australian on Saturday that the Church has been unfairly vilified, and is no worse than other organisations. ‘Anti-Catholic prejudice is one of the few remaining prejudices … among some circles’.

Then in his Sunday Telegraph column yesterday, he wrote: ‘It is hard to name any other Australian organisation that has done more to produce a safe environment for young people [than the Church]’.

When you are being attacked by the media, it is natural to defend your turf, especially if you’re a Church leader and you firmly believe that the good the Church does far outweighs the evil.

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IRELAND
Irish Independent

By Michael Brennan

Sunday November 11 2012

THE Government can breathe a sign of relief that it has got a result from the children’s referendum campaign.

But it is a far from complete victory, with the low turnout, the defeats in several constituencies and the Supreme Court judgement slamming its €1.1m information campaign as unfair and unbalanced.

It is a reminder that getting the attention of the public is harder than ever – and especially so when there are few compelling arguments to rouse their passions.

The key message of the Government’s campaign was that the children’s rights referendum would help to protect vulnerable children. But the low turnout figures show that this did not strike a chord with the public.

Many people seem to have decided that whatever about vulnerable children, their children were fine and therefore there was no need for them to turn out and vote. Put bluntly, there was nothing in it for them and they had shopping and other things to do on Saturday. If the referendum was about cutting child benefit, you could safely predict a much better turnout.

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IRELAND
Irish Independent

Sunday November 11 2012

IF the anaemic turnout for the children referendum proves anything, it proves that the Irish find social change hard to deal with.

If this is what we are like for a referendum, backed by all political parties and almost all established civic society and children’s rights groups, what will we be like when we have to confront perennially divisive issues such as abortion, IVF treatment, stem cell research or equality for same sex couples?

Both the Government and the extraordinarily well funded Yes side must examine why their information campaign did not yield a higher turnout.

The No side (miniscule in comparison) will congratulate itself on the benefits of guerilla marketing and the rule requiring a 50/50 playing field on television and radio.

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IRELAND
Irish Independent

By Fionnan Sheahan

Sunday November 11 2012

THE children’s rights referendum has been passed by a narrow margin, with final counts from all count centres across the country showing a result of 58pc in favour versus 42pc against.

The turnout varied in different constituencies but overall reached a very low 33.49pc.

In real terms, 1,066,239 people voted – out of a total electorate of 3,183,239.

The number of invalid papers was 4,645, meaning a valid poll of 1,061,594

The number of votes in favour of the referendum was 615,731. The number against was 445,863.

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IRELAND
Irish Examiner

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Three of Ireland’s 43 constituencies voted against Government plans to enshrine children’s rights in the constitution.

Donegal South West, Donegal North East and Dublin North West were the only areas to reject the referendum.

While the No vote in the Dublin constituency was marginal – with only 137 votes of a difference – the northern county was more resolute in its rejection of the reforms.

Donegal South West recorded a 56% No vote, with Donegal North East even more resounding with a 60% rejection.

Voter turnout in the county was relatively low, at 24%.

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