AUSTRALIA
The Age
November 14, 2013
Jane Lee
Legal Affairs Reporter for The Age
Chrissie and Anthony Foster showed the inquiry’s committee photographs of their daughter Emma’s arms, bloodied by a suicide attempt after she was repeatedly abused by a Catholic priest.
In a matter of hours, they calmly detailed the pain that had helped define their family’s lives. Their daughters, Emma and Katie, had been repeatedly raped by Father Kevin O’Donnell. Emma later committed suicide and Katie was left in a wheelchair after an accident.
But when the committee tabled its report, with recommendations to prevent similar crimes against children, there were no words left for the couple.
They went to embrace the MPs Georgie Crozier and David O’Brien as they entered a room filled with victims and victims’ advocates. Mrs Foster said the committee had been compassionate to victims, believed their stories and acted.
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