AUSTRALIA
The Guardian
Melissa Davey
@MelissaLDavey
Tuesday 16 February 2016
Child sexual abuse survivors and their supporters have raised more than $90,000 to send a small group of their representatives to Rome to witness Cardinal George Pell, Australia’s most senior Catholic, give evidence before a child sexual abuse royal commission.
After lawyers for Pell tendered medical documents to the royal commission into institutional responses into child sexual abuse this month, the commission chair, Justice McClellan, agreed to allow Pell to give evidence via video link from Rome rather than in person.
It prompted the radio personality Meshel Laurie and the television presenter Gorgi Coghlan to launch a gofundme campaign to send survivors and a support network of psychologists and counsellors to Rome, where Pell is the Vatican’s financial head.
The target of $55,000 was far exceeded in just one day, with the campaign also supported by Loud Fence, a group for survivors of child sexual abuse in Ballarat religious institutions who are putting together a group of people ready to fly.
One anonymous person donated $10,000 to the cause, while other supporters have donated whatever they could afford, even if only a few dollars.
“After caring for victims of child abuse over the years I have seen the immense damage it has had on their lives,” one donator, Noelene Plummer, wrote. “I hope they can find some healing.”
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