AUSTRALIA
9 News
Pedophile clerics abused children, thinking their crimes would not be revealed, a Victorian parliamentary report says.
Citing a Ballarat school at which four pedophile staff were employed in the 1970s, the report says pedophiles often relied on the protection of their religion.
“Offenders who were members of religious organisations were confident that they could abuse their victims and that their activities would not be revealed,” the report, tabled in parliament on Wednesday, says.
“Victims have explained that upon reporting criminal child abuse to other members of the religious organisation, no action was taken or that they were physically punished.”
The committee says it is concerned the Christian Brothers cannot explain the “startling” situation in which four staff at St Alipius primary school, including Brother Robert Best and Brother Edward Dowlan, were later convicted of sexual offences.
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