AUSTRALIA
Sydney Morning Herald

August 18, 2014

Jane Lee and Cameron Houston

Paul Hersbach kept his composure until the end.

He, like all the 321 victims of child sexual abuse who have lodged claims to the Catholic Church’s Melbourne Response, had been forced to tell their stories to strangers before.

The first time he spoke about his abuse in detail, it was to two people at Carelink, the Melbourne Response’s counselling arm, to explain why he needed access to its services as a primary victim, not a secondary victim. He found this confronting and “exceptionally traumatic”.

“I feel I told them more than I needed to and far more than I believe was reasonably required for them to do their job.”

Mr Hersbach explained how the man he once called “gramps” had sexually abused his father, uncle, brother and himself when he was a child.

Victor Rubeo, who died…