Francis Sullivan from Truth, Justice and Healing Council breaks down at Royal Commission

Francis Sullivan from Truth, Justice and Healing Council breaks down at Royal Commission

TODAY is a big day for victims of child sexual abuse within the Catholic Church in this country.

It marks the first time in history that the Australian arm of the church opened its books to reveal the extent of abuse over decades.

The data is confronting. The numbers are shocking.

Over 35 years, 4444 people reported to superiors within the church that they’d been a victim of abuse.

Since 1960, 1265 Catholic priests and religious brothers were the subject of a child sexual abuse claim.

The average age of abuse victims was 10.5 for girls and 11.6 for boys. And the average time between the alleged abuse occurring and the date a claim was made was 33 years.

More than 20 per cent of those working with some Catholic religious orders in Australia were allegedly involved.

More than 40 per cent of St John of God Brothers were alleged perpetrators of child sexual abuse.

The figures were released today by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.

Francis Sullivan from the Truth, Justice and Healing Council broke down on the stand while detailing how each case had affected victims.

“The data tells us that over the six decades from 1960-2010 some 1265 Catholic priests were the subject of a child sexual abuse claim. These numbers are shocking. They are tragic and they are indefensible,” he said.

“Each entry in this data for the most part represents a child who suffered at the hands of someone who should’ve cared for and protected them. And let’s not forget the ripples of abuse.

“The data is an indictment on the priests who abused these children. It also reflects on the church leaders who at times failed to take steps ... failed to deal with them in accordance with the law.”

Counsel assisting the commission, Gail Furness SC, said overall “seven per cent of priests were alleged perpetrators” and 90 per cent of those accused were male.

The royal commission has conducted 15 public hearings into the conduct of Catholic Church authorities and related institutions.

The Catholic Church revealing the scope of abuse and victim reports is a change from refusing to do so.

The Vatican has responded to requests to provide documents about cases involving Australian priests by saying it was “neither possible nor appropriate to provide the information requested”.

The royal commission will run for three more weeks. Six of Australia’s seven Catholic archbishops and the leaders of religious orders will give evidence to the hearing.

Survivors can contact the Survivors & Mates Support Network on 1800 472 676 or www.samsn.org.au.

— with AAP