Catholic Church paid out $276m over child sexual abuse claims, royal commission hears

Updated

The Catholic Church has paid more than $276 million in claims to thousands of victims of child sexual abuse, the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has heard.

Close to 4,500 people made claims for alleged incidents of child sexual abuse between January 1980 and February 2015, but the earliest incidents reported to a claim were in the 1920s.

Counsel assisting the commission, Gail Furness SC, told the Sydney hearing that figure included compensation, treatment, legal and other costs.

Of the total amount, $258.8 million was monetary compensation of about $91,000 per claim.

"The Christian Brothers who, at the relevant time operated a number of residential facilities, reported the highest number of payments," Ms Furness told the hearing.

"This order made 763 payments, amounting to $48.5 million, with an average payment of $64,000.

Today, the Christian Brothers issued a statement apologising to victims of abuse and their families.

"To those who were subjected to abuse at any of our facilities we express again our profound sorrow and enduring regret that their trust was so grievously betrayed," the statement said.

"On behalf of all Christian Brothers we extend without reservation our sincere apology to the victims of abuse and their families.

"We will continue to work with victims to try to repair the damage caused, with personal apology, the provision of counselling and compensation payments."

Schools top abuse claims list

"Overall Catholic Church authorities paid $276.1 million in response to claims of child sexual abuse received between January 1, 1980 and February 28, 2015."

The hearing heard the most common institution type identified in claims was schools: they were identified in 46 per cent of all claims, and children's orphanages or residential facilities were identified in 29 per cent of claims.

The highest number of claims of child sexual abuse concerned a residential care facility operated by the De La Salle Brothers in Queensland, with 219 claims relating to the facility.

Earlier, Francis Sullivan from the Truth, Justice and Healing Council told the hearing to look at the context of the times.

He said things are very different now, and that parents should be aware that their children are in safe hands at Catholic schools.

Top 20 Catholic bodies by total compensation payments

No. of payments Total amount ($m) Average payment ($) Christian Brothers 763 48.5 64,000 De La Salle Brothers 227 34.8 153,000 Marist Brothers 286 31.3 109,000 Diocese of Maitland-Newcastle 128 26.6 208,000 Catholic Archdiocese of Sydney 84 17.2 204,000 Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne 323 16.8 52,000 Missionaries of the Sacred Heart 67 15.2 227,000 Daughters of Our Lady of the Sacred Heart 9 8.1 901,000 Hospitaller Order of St John of God 57 7.4 130,000 Jesuits - Society of Jesus 22 5.7 257,000 Catholic Archdiocese of Adelaide 54 5.2 96,000 Diocese of Ballarat 98 5 51,000 Patrician Brothers - Congregation of the Brothers of St Patrick 23 4.8 210,000 Marist Fathers - Society of Mary 32 3.1 96,000 Vincentians - The Congregation of the Mission 28 3.7 132,000 Catholic Archdiocese of Brisbane 88 3 34,000 Diocese of Parramatta 21 2.5 117,000 Diocese of Toowoomba 14 2.6 187,000 Salesians of Don Bosco 57 2.5 43,000 Institute of Sisters of Mercy Australia and PNG 95 2.1 22,000

ABC/Reuters

Topics: royal-commissions, law-crime-and-justice, child-abuse, sexual-offences, catholic, religion-and-beliefs, sydney-2000

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