AUSTRALIA
Sydney Morning Herald
July 11, 2016
Rachel Browne
Social Affairs Reporter
A mother who alleged her 12-year-old daughter had been sexually abused by a staff member at a disability organisation was threatened with legal action for speaking out, a royal commission has heard.
Maree Welch raised suspicions that her daughter Bobbie had been abused by a casual worker at the Family Support Group (FSG) in 1995 but will tell the commission that her complaint was not appropriately handled.
In the opening address of a public inquiry into disability organisations, the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse heard Ms Welch told FSG co-ordinator Melissa Edwards she believed Bobbie may have been raped.
“I hate to tell you this, I think Bobbie has been interfered with, sexually molested or possibly raped – but I don’t know whether it has gone as far as rape,” the commission heard.
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