AUSTRALIA
ABC – Lateline
Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Broadcast: 18/05/2015
Reporter: Hamish Fitzsimmons
Both victims and abusers will give evidence, when the Royal Commission into Child Sexual Abuse holds public hearings in the Victorian city of Ballarat. Lateline’s Hamish Fitzsimmons was given exclusive access to a support group for survivors
Transcript
EMMA ALBERICI, PRESENTER: Both victims and abusers will give evidence tomorrow when the Royal commission into child sexual abuse holds public hearings in the Victorian city of Ballarat.
It was one of the worst places for abuse by Catholic clergy and the damage they caused continues to ruin lives.
One survivor has told Lateline the death rate from suicide is now higher than the road toll in Ballarat.
It’s been revealed that at one stage in 1971, the entire male staff of the St Alipius primary school was molesting children.
One of the most notorious abusers in Ballarat was Father Gerald Ridsdale. He’ll be giving evidence to the commission this week via video link from prison.
While the Federal Government opposes a national redress scheme for victims, support is available. It’s often provided through the Catholic Church, but there are others, like the Centre Against Sexual Assault in Ballarat.
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.