AUSTRALIA
7 News
ABC
Child sex abuse royal commission: Catholic priest abused two generations of boys in the same family, inquiry hears
BY LOUISE MILLIGAN
August 18, 2014
The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has heard a devastating account of how a Catholic priest preyed on two generations of boys in the same family.
Tony Hersbach and his twin brother Will were molested by Father Victor Rubeo in Melbourne in the 1960s.
The priest then abused Tony’s two sons, Paul and Adam, in the 1980s.
Paul Hersbach gave evidence to the commission today and he and his father gave an exclusive interview to the ABC’s 7.30 program about how the domineering and charismatic priest managed to take hold and control their family.
“He was like a father, but like an incestuous father, so he had this real dark, secret side,” Tony told 7.30.
“And you know, in our family life, he was able to do whatever he wanted to. He basically took over.”
Paul said: “We called him Grandpa, which… bothers me a lot.
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.