fbpx
Wikipedia

Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse was a royal commission announced in November 2012[1] and established in 2013 by the Australian government pursuant to the Royal Commissions Act 1902 to inquire into and report upon responses by institutions to instances and allegations of child sexual abuse in Australia. The establishment of the commission followed revelations of child abusers being moved from place to place instead of their abuse and crimes being reported. There were also revelations that adults failed to try to stop further acts of child abuse.[2] The commission examined the history of abuse in educational institutions, religious groups, sporting organisations, state institutions and youth organisations.[3] The final report of the commission was made public on 15 December 2017.[4]

Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse
Commissioners
Inquiry period13 January 2013 (2013-01-13) – 15 December 2017 (2017-12-15)
Constituting instrumentRoyal Commissions Act 1902
Websitechildabuseroyalcommission.gov.au

Background

During the late 1990s and early 2000s, allegations were made of child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church in Australia and in a number of other religious and non-religious institutions. Some of these allegations led to convictions, trials and ongoing investigations into acts committed by Catholic priests and members of Catholic religious orders.[5] Some of the allegations relate to incidents alleged to have taken place during the 1950s, others later. There were calls for a Royal Commission since the late 1990s.[6]

Similar allegations against the Roman Catholic Church had been made in the United States, in Ireland, in Canada, in Belgium, and several other European countries. In Ireland, the government's Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse was established in 2000 and presented its final report to the Dáil in 2009, covering allegations of child abuse from 1936 onwards.[7]

A 1996 parliamentary inquiry in Western Australia attempted to review the extent of abuse, including sexual abuse, of children in state care; however it realised that the scope of the task was too big.[8] In South Australia there were allegations that the Government of South Australia was not accurately reporting the numbers of children being sexually abused in remote parts of the state.[9] In Queensland, during 1999 the Commission of Inquiry into Abuse of Children in Queensland Institutions (headed by Leneen Forde, a former Governor of Queensland), investigated the treatment of children in 159 licensed government and non-government institutions from 1911 to 1999. In its report, the Inquiry found that abuse had occurred and made 42 recommendations relating to contemporary child protection practices, youth justice and redress of past abuse.[10]

In Victoria, in January 2011 the Protecting Victoria's Vulnerable Children Inquiry was launched to investigate Victoria's child protection system and make recommendations to strengthen and improve the protection and support of vulnerable young people.[11] The inquiry was chaired by a former Supreme Court of Victoria Justice, the Hon. Philip Cummins, and reported in January 2012. The report considered the issue of the sexual and other abuse of children by personnel in religious organisations and recommended that a formal investigation should be conducted into the processes by which religious organisations respond to the criminal abuse of children by personnel in their organisation.[12] A bi-partisan parliamentary inquiry was established in May 2012 in that state to seek information about the causes and effects of criminal abuse within religious and other non-government organisations; whether victims were discouraged from reporting such abuse; if such abuse was reported, how the reporting of their experience of abuse was handled; the consequences of abuse, including the effect on the victims and others, and the consequences for the perpetrator(s); the adequacy of the policies, procedures and practices within religious and other non-government organisations that related to the prevention of, and response to, child abuse; and suggestions for reform, to help prevent abuse and ensure that allegations of abuse are properly dealt with.[12] During its proceedings it heard from a police report that detailed 40 suicide deaths directly related to abuse by Roman Catholic clergy.[13] In October 2012, the chief commissioner of Victoria Police, Ken Lay, in a submission to the parliamentary inquiry, recommended that some of the Roman Catholic Church's actions to hinder investigations (including dissuading victims from reporting to police, failing to engage with police and alerting suspects of allegations against them) be criminalised.[14]

By June 2012, there was community and academic pressure for the establishment of a royal commission, most especially in Victoria.[15][16][17][18]

Hunter Special Commission of Inquiry

In July 2012, John Pirona, a victim of notorious priest Father John Denham, took his own life. Pirona left a note that said "Too Much Pain".[19] The prime minister, Julia Gillard, visited Newcastle on 8 August 2012, the day of Pirona's funeral, where mourners backed The Newcastle Herald's "Shine the Light" campaign for a royal commission.

Journalist Joanne McCarthy's report on Pirona's death and clergy abuse in the Maitland–Newcastle diocese was the catalyst for the "Shine the Light" campaign that would ultimately lead to the royal commission.[20]

In November 2012, Peter Fox, a senior detective in the NSW Police, revealed that he was stood down from investigating child sexual abuse by Catholic clergy while he was compiling "explosive" evidence from a key witness and that "the church covers up, silences victims, hinders police investigations, alerts offenders, destroys evidence and moves priests to protect the good name of the church".[21][22]

Fox went public with his allegations in November 2012, when he spoke about the "evil of paedophilia within the Catholic Church".[23]

On 9 November 2012, the Premier of New South Wales, Barry O'Farrell, announced the appointment of a special commission of inquiry into allegations raised about police handling of abuse by clergy in the Roman Catholic Church in the Hunter region. The commission was headed by Margaret Cunneen.[24] The Special Commission inquiry centred around internal church documents obtained by Newcastle Herald journalist Joanne McCarthy, that revealed a group of senior clergy allegedly attempting to conceal the crimes of Father Denis McAlinden, a prolific paedophile.[25]

The inquiry found that Fox was not a credible witness, prone to exaggeration and his evidence must be "approached with caution".[26][27][28] The report also found that senior Catholic Church officials, including former Bishop Leo Clarke, withheld information from police.[29]

On 12 November 2012, the prime minister, Julia Gillard, announced that she would be recommending to the governor-general the creation of a royal commission.[2][6][30] On 19 November 2012, federal attorney-general Nicola Roxon and the acting minister for families, Brendan O'Connor,[31] released a consultation paper seeking input into the commission's scope of the terms of reference, how the Commonwealth and the states and territories would work together, the number of commissioners and suggested areas of expertise, the proposed timetable and reporting requirements.[32]

Archbishop Denis Hart, president of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, stated that he welcomed and promised co-operation with a Royal Commission to broadly investigate child sexual abuse in institutions across Australia. The Australian Bishops Conference said that "talk of a systemic problem of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church is ill-founded and inconsistent with the facts",[33]

Cardinal George Pell stated that he hoped the royal commission would stop a "smear campaign" against the Catholic Church.[34][35]

During a press conference held on 13 November 2012, Cardinal Pell voiced his support for the royal commission and welcomed the opportunity to help victims and clear the air.[33] Responding to Pell's press conference, Bishop Geoffrey Robinson described Pell as a "great embarrassment to me and to a lot of good Catholic people".[36]

Terms of reference

On 11 January 2013, Governor-General Quentin Bryce issued Commonwealth letters patent appointing six commissioners and the commission's terms of reference. The commissioners were directed "to inquire into institutional responses to allegations and incidents of child sexual abuse and related matters".[37]

Each state was also requested to issue letters patent, or their equivalent instruments of appointment, which allow the six commissioners to conduct an inquiry into institutional responses to child sexual abuse under their respective laws. The commissioners were formally appointed under Western Australian law on 22 January 2013, Queensland law on 24 January 2013, New South Wales law on 25 January 2013, Victorian law on 12 February 2013, Tasmanian law on 4 March 2013 and South Australian law on 7 March 2013.[37] Despite both the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory having their own governments, they are officially administered under the Commonwealth of Australia, and the Commonwealth letters patent covered their jurisdiction.

Commissioners and executive

Gillard announced the setting up of the royal commission and the appointment of six commissioners with Peter McClellan as its head. The six commissioners were:[37]

The setting up of the royal commission was established by Julia Gillard, supported by the opposition leader, Tony Abbott, and by the Greens, as were the terms of reference and the choice of commissioners.[41][42]

The inaugural chief executive officer was Janette Dines, who served from January 2013 until June 2014.[43][44]

Powers

The powers of royal commissions in Australia are set out in the enabling legislation, the Royal Commissions Act 1902 (Cth).

The Royal Commissions Amendment Act 2013 was approved by Parliament to give the Child Abuse Royal Commission additional powers to fulfil its terms of reference. Notable changes were:

  1. Enabling the chair to authorise one or more members to hold a public or private hearing[45]
  2. Authorise members of the royal commission to hold private sessions[46]

Royal commissions, appointed pursuant to the Royal Commissions Act or otherwise, have powers to issue a summons to a person to appear before the commission at a hearing to give evidence or to produce documents specified in the summons; require witnesses to take an oath or give an affirmation; and require a person to deliver documents to the commission at a specified place and time.[47] A person served with a summons or a notice to produce documents must comply with that requirement, or face prosecution for an offence. The penalty for conviction upon such an offence is a fine of A$1,000 or six months imprisonment.[48] A royal commission may authorise the Australian Federal Police to execute search warrants.[49]

Submissions

The commissioners invited members of the public to make submissions, either orally over the telephone, in writing, or via face-to-face meetings with a commission officer. To help people planning to give evidence, in July 2013 the attorney-general, Mark Dreyfus, announced provision of a free national legal service, independent of the royal commission, by the National Association of Community Legal Centres.[50] Witnesses were offered the opportunity to tell their story to the Royal Commission via either public hearings or in private.[51]

The commissioners identified a number of themes and invited members of the public, organisations and institutions to make submissions on each of the following issues. As of September 2016 there were no issues papers open for submission. The number of public submissions is listed:[52]

Issue Close date
of submissions
# submissions
received
Reference
1 Working With Children Check 12 August 2013 79 [53]
2 Towards Healing 4 September 2013 23 [54]
3 Child Safe Institutions 11 October 2013 53 [55]
4 Sexual Abuse of Children in Out-of-Home Care 8 November 2013 62 [56]
5 Civil Litigation 17 March 2014 37 [57]
6 Redress schemes 2 June 2014 86 [58]
7 Statutory victims of crime compensation schemes 30 June 2014 44 [59]
8 Experience of police and prosecution responses 15 June 2015 23 [60]
9 Risk of child sexual abuse in schools 31 August 2015 38 [61]
10 Advocacy and Support and Therapeutic Treatment Services 30 November 2015 120 [62]
11 Catholic Church Final Hearing 1 July 2016 44 [63]

Submissions were made by organisations including the Jehovah's Witnesses, the Anglican Church, Anglicare, Barnardos Australia, Bravehearts, Broken Rites, CREATE Foundation, the Law Council of Australia, the Lutheran Church, MacKillop Family Services, Mission Australia, the National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect, SNAP Australia (Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests), the Roman Catholic Church in Australia, Save the Children Australia, Scouts Australia, The Smith Family, the St Vincent de Paul Society, Surf Life Saving Australia, the Church of Christ (Latter Day Saints), the Salvation Army, the Uniting Church and YMCA Australia. In addition there were submissions from survivors groups (such as Ballarat survivors group) and representatives of victims and survivors.[64][65] The Australian Government and the governments of the ACT, NSW, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria and Western Australia made submissions. The list of government agencies which made submissions is extensive and includes the ACT Children & Young People Commissioner, the Australian Children's Education & Care Quality Authority, the Australian Federal Police, the Australian Human Rights Commission, the Australian Senate, the Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian (Queensland), the Commissioner for Children and Young People WA, the Commissioner for Victim's Rights SA, Legal Aid NSW, the Legal Services Commission of South Australia, the NSW Children's Guardian, the NSW Ombudsman, Queensland State Archives, the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care, the Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency, the Victorian Commissioner for Children and Young People and Victoria Legal Aid. Many individuals made submissions, including David Hill and John Menadue.[53][54][55][56][57][58][59]

Through the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, the Catholic Church established a national co-ordinating body, called the Truth, Justice and Healing Council, to oversee the church's engagement with the royal commission and the pastoral and other ramifications that arose from the sexual abuse scandal.[66] The council was chaired by the Honourable Barry O'Keefe until his 2014 death.[67] He was succeeded by the Honourable Neville Owen, a former judge, barrister and solicitor.[68]

The commission detailed the number of abuse claims against 10 religious orders from 1950 to 2010; four orders had allegations of abuse against more than 20% of their members.[3]

Percentage of church figures behind alleged abuse, 1950–2010
Religious institution Percentage
St John of God Brothers 40.4
Christian Brothers 22
Salesians of Don Bosco 21.9
Marist Brothers 20.4
De La Salle Brothers 13.8
Patrician Brothers 12.4
Society of Jesus 4.8
Missionaries of the Sacred Heart 3.3
Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart 0.6
Sisters of Mercy (Brisbane) 0.3

Public hearings

Hearings were conducted in every capital city and a number of regional centres across Australia. Because the Royal Commission felt it did not have the resources to investigate all of the thousands of allegations of abuse it was receiving, hearings were held with a focus on case studies of particular institutions. The Royal Commission's web site has an up-to-date list of case studies (49 as of 10 December 2016).[69]

Scouts Australia

In the Hunter region of New South Wales, it was alleged that a former member of Scouts Australia, suspended from the organisation for abusing two Scouts in the 1990s, was employed as the chief executive officer of an Aboriginal child welfare agency two months prior to the formal introduction of working-with-children checks. In testimony before the commission in September 2013, it was revealed that the applicant's suitability for the role may have been assessed by relatively junior staff;[123] and that he later falsified his working-with-children check. It was alleged that the NSW Department of Community Services (DOCS) gave the man permission to have a 17-year-old boy, whom he was grooming for sex, live with him.[124] A former CEO of Scouts Australia testified that during his three years in the job, he dealt with ten allegations of child sexual abuse. He admitted a number of children were sexually abused or harmed and said the Scouts failed them. The commission heard testimony from two victims who spoke of the profound effect the sexual abuse had on their lives.[125]

The first published case study of the royal commission dealt with the response of institutions to the conduct of Steven Larkins, who occupied positions of responsibility in Scouts Australia NSW and in the Hunter Aboriginal Children's Service. Larkins was prosecuted in 2012 for offences he had committed 15 years earlier, and was convicted and imprisoned.[126]

YMCA NSW

Between October 2013 and January 2014, the commission heard evidence that there were systemic failures by management within YMCA NSW[127] after a worker was hired to work at a YMCA child care centre located in Caringbah in southern Sydney without the appropriate background checks.[128] The former worker, Jonathan Luke Lord, has since been convicted of offences relating to the abuse of twelve boys in his care, some as young as six.[129][130] On 18 January 2013, Lord was sentenced to 10 years and a non-parole period of 6 years. He was sentenced for 13 offences involving 12 children and another 16 offences were taken into account.[131][132]

Following evidence presented before the commission, the NSW Department of Education and Communities wrote to the Chief Executive Officer of YMCA NSW and issued a compliance notice that set out strict conditions for continuation of the YMCA's childcare licence.[129] The Chief Executive Officer of YMCA NSW testified before the commission about the impact of crimes that occurred on YMCA NSW premises.[128]

(The perpetrator)... was an insidious and deceitful individual, who was grooming not only children and parents but the YMCA itself. He gained the trust of the children, the parents and the fellow staff members to really get close to these children. (He would) go so far as to open the childcare centre for a parent who had to start work early. (He) went above and beyond to help out parents. We've got staff who are struggling to comfort children that come to them distressed because it might be seen as grooming practices. So (his) impacts have been devastating.

— Phillip Hare, Chief Executive Officer of YMCA NSW; testimony given in 2013.

Towards Healing

Case Studies 4, 8, and 31 inquired into the Catholic Church's Towards Healing program and the Church's responses. Hearing 8 also focused on Ellis' experience in civil litigation.[133] The program received criticism from at least one abuse victim who claimed it delayed reporting her complaint.[134]

Salvation Army

In January 2014 the commission began investigating allegations of sexual and physical abuse of children at four boys' homes run by the Salvation Army. The homes examined by the commission were the Bexley Boys Home in Sydney, the Gill Memorial Home at Goulburn in southern New South Wales, the Alkira Salvation Army Home for Boys at Indooroopilly in Brisbane and the Riverview Training Farm at Riverview in Queensland. The commission heard testimony from two Salvation Army whistleblowers about allegations of child abuse between 1973 and 1975. The officers testified that they witnessed a boy had his arm dislocated during a beating by another Salvation Army officer. The Salvation Army banned the husband and wife whistleblowers from talking to other alleged victims of child abuse and dismissed them from their position as "house parents" at the Alkira home.[135] When the whistleblowers complained to the Queensland Department of Children's Services, they were labelled troublemakers.[136] The officer at the centre of the allegations had previously worked at the Bexley home from 1968; and then was the manager of the Alkira home between 1974 and 1976. The Salvation Army moved the alleged perpetrator to another Salvation Army service where he was promoted in rank.[137] Following the allegations raised at the royal commission, the Salvation Army suspended the officer at the centre of the allegations. The officer concerned did not attended the commission's hearings but the inquiry has been told he refutes the allegations of sexual abuse.[138] The inquiry heard that officers were moved interstate if they were accused of child sexual abuse. One officer was dismissed from the Salvation Army in 2005 due to allegations of child sexual abuse.[137] The whistleblowers testified that boys at the home were used for alleged sexual exploitation and were allegedly subject to physical abuse.[135]

"They were given drink and chocolates, well, they were used that day in Brisbane and the next day they were sent down to Sydney ... (Another officer) told me the boys were useless and bad, and it had to be drummed into them that rules are rules."

— Major Cliff Randall, testimony from a Salvation Army whistleblower, 2014.

Witnesses who testified included alleged victims of child abuse. A male witness told the royal commission that while at the Gill Memorial Home at Goulburn, aged 12 years, he was regularly sexually abused by a Salvation Army officer.[139]

"... (I was abused) ... at least four out of every seven days. Many times he would drag me out of bed at 3am for allegedly making a noise, ... He would punish me by taking me down to the bathrooms and making me scrub the toilets with a toothbrush. I was always there on my own. He would then sexually abuse me and send me back to bed at 5am. I would then have to get up at 6am to start my chores ... (He) flogged me when we got back for telling lies. He hit me with his open palm on my head, chest, arms and upper body."

— A victim of alleged child abuse at the Gill Memorial Home, Goulburn; testimony given in 2014.

Mangrove Yoga Ashram

In December 2014, the Commission hearing examined allegations into the Satyananda Yoga Ashram at Mangrove Mountain, New South Wales of child sexual abuse by the ashram's former spiritual leader Swami Akhandananda Saraswati in the 1970s and 1980s.[140] It found that Akhandananda, who was director of the ashram, had sexually abused children in his care, eleven of whom served as witnesses to the Royal Commission. In 1989 Akhandananda was sentenced to two years and four months of imprisonment; his conviction was overturned in 1991.[141] The Ashram issued an acknowledgement and apology to the survivors of Akhandananda's sexual abuse. The apology and acknowledgement stated that the ashram accepted that the child sexual abuse did occur, and that the organisation had not responded in a way that was helpful to victims.[142]

Yeshiva, Melbourne and Yeshiva, Bondi

Testimony by victims of sexual abuse at two Chabad schools, Yeshiva in Melbourne and Yeshiva in Bondi, and school officials was given at the Commission. Witnesses included Manny Waks and his father. Several Chabad rabbis were found to have been publicly sermonizing that it was religiously forbidden to report child sex abuse to the police. The prohibition against reporting a fellow Jew to the authorities is referred to as Mesirah[143][144] As of 1 September 2015, four Chabad Rabbis had resigned in relation to the controversy.[145] As a consequence of the revelations, one Chabad institution's Committee of Management was to be replaced and to have its Board of Trustees disbanded.[146]

Witnesses noted that not only were victims of abuse not protected, but those who reported abuse to the rabbis were shunned as "mosers" who commit "mesirah". The schools were accused of covering up multiple claims of sexual abuse at their institutions in the 1980s and 1990s,[144][147] and of retaliating against whistleblowers and victims.[143][147]

Rabbi Moshe Gutnick was called to testify. He said, "I believe the cover-ups and bullying and intimidation that has gone on ... represents the antithesis of the teachings of Chabad and Judaism and orthodoxy."[148] He acknowledged that the Orthodox Chabad community in Australia was guilty of covering up sex crimes committed in the community, and pressuring victims and their families not to report the crimes to the police. Gutnick said that people reporting abuse were ostracized mosers ("informers"). He said "a culture of cover-up, often couched in religious terms, pervaded our thinking and our actions." He said that rabbis in these situations had misused their power, and that anyone who insists a child sexual abuse victim should go first to a rabbi rather than the police is not doing so out of religious reasons but trying to "hush it up, to cover it up, to prevent the victim from finding redress. There is no doubt at all: Mesirah ['informing'] has no application whatsoever to instances of child sexual abuse. To use mesirah in this way is an abomination." Gutnick also lamented that there was no formal training for rabbis on how to handle reported abuse.

Manny Waks, an advocate for victims, said, "Today, Rabbi Moshe Gutnick restored my faith in ultra-Orthodox Judaism. For the first time ever the reform that is so critical seems much closer. Thank you Rabbi Gutnick. Hopefully the rest of the Orthodox Rabbinate will now follow suit. What an incredible day for justice."[149]

Knox Grammar School and the Uniting Church

On 23 February 2015 the commission started hearings[92] concerning the response of Knox Grammar School and the Uniting Church in Australia to complaints and criminal proceedings involving teachers who sexually abused students. The Commission's remit includes inquiring into the 'systems, policies and procedures' involving the school's response to the complaints since 1970, and the experiences of former students sexually abused by teaching staff.[92] Four teachers from Knox had been convicted of sexual offences against Knox students.[150]

A former Knox teacher, a resident master at the schools boarding house in 1988, was summonsed to appear at the Commission, but failed to do so. A warrant was issued by the Commission for his arrest.[151]

During hearings in early March 2015, several former Knox students and staff alleged that headmaster Ian Paterson did not refer several allegations of sex abuse he received to the police, despite there being a requirement for such allegations to be reported from 1988. The commission heard that in fact Paterson had never reported any student's allegation of sexual abuse to police during his thirty years in charge of the school.[152][153] Paterson also stated that he had allowed several teachers accused of sexual abuse to resign and subsequently gave them positive references. Paterson denied that he had covered up the sexual abuse of students, arguing that he had responded to the allegations brought to his attention, and stated that "I should have known and I should have stopped the events that led to the abuse and its tragic consequences for these boys in my care and their families".[153][154] Paterson stated that he was not aware that it was a crime for a teacher to grope or sexually proposition a student.[155] Following the section of the hearing concerning Paterson, the current headmaster John Weeks stated that the school had changed considerably since the end of Paterson's period in the role and that Knox's Paterson Centre for Ethics and Business Studies would be renamed.[153]

Weeks also gave evidence to the Royal Commission. During this hearing he was questioned over why he had not sacked the teacher who was arrested in 2009 despite having received allegations in 2007 that the teacher had behaved improperly with a student during the 1980s. Weeks told the media that the allegations had not been detailed or specific, and he had received advice that "it would have been difficult on industrial grounds" to have dismissed the teacher. Weeks also stated that he had reported the teacher to the police child protection unit, but the relevant police inspector gave evidence that a report had not been made.[156][157]

Catholic Church authorities in Ballarat

The Royal Commission's final report of Catholic Church authorities in Ballarat was released on 6 December 2017. It covered sexual abuse in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ballarat including the Congregation of Christian Brothers.[158]

The Royal Commission's final report, published on 15 December, found that three bishops knew and did nothing about complaints of sexual abuse, namely James O'Collins, Ronald Mulkearns and Peter Connors. It found that 139 people made claims of child sexual abuse to the Diocese of Ballarat between 1980 and 2015, and that there were 21 alleged perpetrators identified in claims. Of the 21 alleged perpetrators 17 were priests which is 8.7% of the priests who ministered during this period.[159] The final report included recommendations 16.6 through 16.26. They include the introduction of mandatory reporting/national standards, screening candidates before and during seminary or religious formation, the introduction of voluntary celibacy for diocesan clergy, to remove the requirement to destroy documents relating to canonical criminal cases in materials of morals, where the accused cleric has died or ten years have elapsed from the condemnatory sentence, amend canon law to remove the time limit (prescription) for commencement of canonical actions relating to child sexual abuse, the bishop of the diocese should ensure that parish priests are not the employers of principals and teachers in Catholic schools, modifications to canon law and for more transparency.[160][161][162][163]

The Commission found that Bishop Mulkearns failed to take action "Bishop Mulkearns again was derelict in his duty in failing to take any effective action to have (infamous paedophile Gerald) Ridsdale referred to police and to restrict Ridsdale's contact with children".[164] The Commission pointed to the structure of the Diocese, culture and governance, concluding: "The most likely explanation for the conduct of Bishop Mulkearns and other senior clergy in the Diocese was that they were trying to minimise the risk of scandal and protect the reputation of the Catholic Church. The Melbourne report found that former Ballarat Diocese Bishop Peter Connors was part of a culture that practiced "using oblique or euphemistic language in correspondence and records concerning complaints of child sexual abuse".[165] The Commission found that, "Many children, mainly boys, said they were sexually abused at St Alipius and/or St Patrick's College."[166] That most allegations at St Patrick's College were related to Ted Dowlan who taught there from 1973 to 1975. "A number of the survivors who gave evidence said they believed a number of their classmates from St Alipius and St Patrick's College had died by suicide or died prematurely," because of the abuse[166] and that there was systematic minimisation and cover up of the abuse.

Here are some extracts from the conclusion of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse's report into Case Study 28 – Catholic Church authorities in Ballarat:[158]

This case study exposed a catastrophic failure in the leadership of the Diocese and ultimately in the structure and culture of the Church over decades to effectively respond to the sexual abuse of children by its priests. That failure led to the suffering and often irreparable harm to children, their families and the wider community. That harm could have been avoided if the Church had acted in the interests of children rather than in its own interests.

Euphemistic and elliptical language was often used in correspondence and minutes to mask the true nature of the conduct discussed. There was repeated reference to 'pressures', 'strains' and unspecified 'problems'. On occasions, records were deliberately not made or kept or were destroyed.

The result of these inexcusable failures was that more children were sexually abused by Catholic clergy in the Diocese. There was a catastrophic institutional failure which resulted in many children being sexually abused. We heard about the devastating, often lifelong, consequences in the lives of those children. The welfare of children was not the primary concern of Bishop Mulkearns and other senior members of the Diocese when responding to complaints and allegation of child sexual abuse against their priests. There is no doubt it should have been.

The report on Ballarat also described the impact it had on victims. One section outlines suicide and premature death caused from the abuse. One victim said:

Newspapers don't report suicides, so the public doesn't hear about the broken families and their shared lives, about the unseen impact of institutional child sexual abuse. Children are left behind and they don't understand why. It doesn't end when the abuse ends.[167]

Other harms are outlined. Another victim outlines the general harm in the Ballarat community:

Such chronic sexual abuse in the Ballarat community has led to a large number of men who are not able to be productive members of society and intellects have become either emotional, social or financial burdens upon the community.[167]

The Royal Commission's final report of Catholic Church authorities in Ballarat was released on 6 December.[158] The report found that 56 Christian Brothers had claims of sexual abuse made against them in Ballarat and that there "was a complete failure by the Christian Brothers to protect the most vulnerable children in their care".[168] The Commissioners found that in one instances after a complaint was made to Brother Nangle about Brother Dowlan (who was later jailed for sexual abuse[169]) was putting his hands down students' pants a student was required to apologise to the school assembly for "spreading lies".[170][171]

The response to complaints of sexual abuse was "grossly inadequate" and that Christian Brothers were moved after an allegation had been made.[172] The Report found:

Often, the Christian Brother in question was allowed to remain in the position he held where the allegations arose, with continuing access to children.

On many occasions, the Brother was moved to a new location after a complaint or allegation was made about his conduct. In some cases, the reason given for the move was to conceal the true reason for it and to protect the reputation of the Christian Brothers and avoid scandal and embarrassment.[173][171]

During the Royal Commission it was found that 853 children, average age 13, had been sexually abused by one or more Christian Brothers.[174] Child abuse complaints were made against 281 Christian Brothers, and the Congregation had paid A$37.3 million in compensation.[175] During the Ballarat Case Study of the Royal Commission it was found that Glynis McNeight, a private investigator, was paid for by the Christian Brothers, through a retained law firm, pursued victims and their families who were sexually abused by Brother Edward Dowlan.[176][177] McNeight's report was tabled[178] which contained a strategy to manipulate witnesses such as a victim could be "easily be torn down in the witness box" and "The person himself is a very nervous, excitable type who will reduce to tears and bad language easily".[179] It was also shown that the Christian Brothers knew of abuse from Brothers but did not tell police[180] and spent almost $1.5 million defending paedophile Brother Robert Best, Edward Dowlan and Stephen Farrell.[181]

Jehovah's Witnesses

In July and August 2015, the royal commission examined the handling of child sexual abuse cases by Jehovah's Witnesses in Australia. Their "case studies showed that it was a common practice of religious institutions to adopt 'in-house' responses when dealing with allegations of child sexual abuse."[182] The royal commission presented the accounts of two female sex abuse victims and also questioned seven elders and a circuit overseer associated with the congregations where the abuse took place. It also questioned two senior members of the Watch Tower Society Australian branch as well as Geoffrey Jackson, a member of the New York-based Governing Body.

The hearing was told that in response to a summons issued by the commission, the Watch Tower Society had produced 5,000 documents relating to 1,006 case files of allegations of child sexual abuse reported to Jehovah's Witness elders in Australia since 1950—each file for a different alleged perpetrator of child sexual abuse, including 579 cases in which the perpetrator confessed. The "case study regarding the Jehovah's Witnesses showed that the organisation dealt with allegations of child sexual abuse in accordance with internal, scripturally based disciplinary policies and procedures."[183] The documents showed that of the alleged perpetrators, "not one was reported by the Church to secular authorities". The commission was told: "This suggests that it is the practice of the Jehovah's Witness Church to retain information regarding child sexual abuse offences but not to report allegations of child sexual abuse to the police or other relevant authorities."[184][185] Officers of the royal commission "referred information in relation to 514 alleged perpetrators to police", adding that "of the remaining 492 alleged perpetrators identified in the case files, officers at the Royal Commission determined that there was either insufficient evidence in the case files to warrant referring matters to police or that the matters had already come to the attention of police".[186]

The royal commission found that it "[did] not consider the Jehovah's Witness organisation to be an organisation which responds adequately to child sexual abuse. ... The organisation's retention and continued application of policies such as the two-witness rule in cases of child sexual abuse shows a serious lack of understanding of the nature of child sexual abuse."[187] In its final report, the royal commission added, "As long as the Jehovah's Witness organisation continues to ... [rely on a literal interpretation of the Bible and 1st century principles to set practice, policy and procedure] ... in its response to allegations of child sexual abuse, it will remain an organisation that does not respond adequately to child sexual abuse and that fails to protect children."[188]

Geelong Grammar School

In September and October 2015, the Royal Commission held a public hearing into sexual abuse at the Geelong Grammar School, an elite Anglican boarding school for boys which had once counted the then Prince Charles among its students. In 2015-2016 the Royal Commission then investigated the allegations brought forth at the hearings, and handed down a report published in February 2017, which is available on the internet.[189] The report details many incidents of abuse by the school staff between 1956 and 1989, including three Anglican priests, three boarding house masters, and a live-in boarding house assistant. (p. 20-30) One can sense from the testimony of former students that Geelong was a "strict, authoritarian and regimented place" (p. 21), where sexual abuse was just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what would lead an adolescent boy to despair. One complainant said he witnessed "repeated physical and psychological abuse" in addition to sexual abuse, and that there was a "code of silence" about this at the school; all of this left him with a sense of "shame, helplessness and powerlessness". (p. 29) Three of the sexual abuse cases led in the victims to later struggles with depression, suicidal thoughts, and attempted suicide. (p. 26, 28, 31) Five former staff members of the school were convicted of child sex offences. (p. 31-32)

Australian Defence Force

The Commission held a public hearing to inquire into the experiences of men and women who were sexually abused as children in certain divisions of the Australian Defence Force (ADF). It also examined the systems, policies, practices and procedures of the ADF and the ADF Cadets to prevent child sexual abuse, and raising and responding to concerns and complaints about child sexual abuse.[190][191] On 22 August 2017 the Commission released reports into abuse within the ADF, and found that at HMAS Leeuwin the physical and sexual abuse of child recruits was widespread, with "bastardisation" practices that involved a junior recruit being held down while boot polish, toothpaste or another substance was forcibly smeared on his genitals or anal area also took place at Leeuwin. At The Army Apprentice School, Balcombe on the Mornington Peninsula, teenage apprentices were severely sexually abused during the 1970s and 1980s. The abuse included fondling of genitals, forced masturbation, anal penetration with an object such as a broomstick and "bastardisation" practices primarily perpetrated by senior apprentices or staff. A 15-year old cadet within the Australian Air Force Cadets in Tasmania, committed suicide following the improper handling of an incident of an improper relationship that was instigated by a senior officer.[192][193]

Reports

The federal government requested an initial report from the commission not later than 30 June 2014 as well as a recommendation for the date for the final report not later than 31 December 2015.[37][41] On 13 November 2014 Governor-General Sir Peter Cosgrove amended the letters patent extending the date for submission of the final report to "not later than 15 December 2017".[194]

An interim report was released on 30 June 2014 and included "the personal stories of 150 people who shared their experience of abuse by coming to a private session or providing a written account."[195] At that time there were still around 3000 more sessions on a waiting list to be heard.[196] In June 2015 the Royal Commission released a report, prepared by the Parenting Research Centre, that assessed the extent to which 288 recommendations from 67 previous, relevant inquiries have been implemented.[197]

Following the conclusion of each public hearing, case study reports were released on findings and recommendations for each of the above-mentioned cases.[198]

Criminal justice report recommendations were published in the final report dated 15 December 2017.[199]

Outcomes

On 22 October 2018, the Prime Minister of Australia, Scott Morrison, delivered in Parliament House a National Apology Address on behalf of the Australian people:[200]

... The crimes of ritual sexual abuse happened in schools, churches, youth groups, scout troops, orphanages, foster homes, sporting clubs, group homes, charities, and in family homes as well. It happened anywhere a predator thought they could get away with it, and the systems within these organisations allowed it to happen and turned a blind eye. It happened day after day, week after week, month after month, and decade after decade. Unrelenting torment. When a child spoke up, they weren't believed and the crimes continued with impunity. One survivor told me that when he told a teacher of his abuse, that teacher then became his next abuser. Trust broken. Innocence betrayed. Power and position exploited for evil dark crimes. A survivor named Faye told the Royal Commission, "Nothing takes the memories away. It happened 53 years ago and it's still affecting me." One survivor named Ann said, "My mother believed them rather than me". I also met with a mother whose two daughters were abused by a priest the family trusted. Suicide would claim one of her two beautiful girls and the other lives under the crushing weight of what was done to her ... We can never promise a world where there are no abusers. But we can promise a country where we commit to hear and believe our children ... I present the formal apology to be tabled in this Parliament today, which will be handed to those in the Great Hall shortly. It reflects all of the sentiments that I have expressed on behalf of the Australian people, this Parliament and our Government.

— Scott Morrison, Prime Minister of Australia, 22 October 2018

Morrison announced that the federal government had not rejected any recommendations of the royal commission, that it was working on 104 of the 122 recommendations that were addressed to the Commonwealth and had established:[200]

  • a National Redress Scheme with the support of the states and territories administrations;
  • the National Office of Child Safety within the Department of Social Services; and
  • a National Centre of Excellence to raise awareness and understanding of the impacts of child sexual abuse, to deal with the stigma, to support help seeking and guide best practice for training and other services.

Supreme Court's "Institutional Liability List"

On 8 May 2020, the Victorian Supreme Court established an Institutional Liability List to administer child sex abuse lawsuits.[201] The list includes claims for damages arising from the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.[201] The Royal Commission's allegations against George Pell and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ballarat played a role in the creation of the list.[201]

See also

References

  1. ^ . 15 November 2012. Archived from the original on 15 November 2012. Retrieved 2 January 2022.
  2. ^ a b Gillard, Julia (12 November 2012). (Press release). Canberra: Commonwealth of Australia. Archived from the original on 15 November 2012. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
  3. ^ a b "Child abuse: 7% of Australian Catholic priests alleged to be involved". BBC News. 6 February 2017. from the original on 19 July 2017. Retrieved 1 July 2017.
  4. ^ The sex abuse royal commission went to some dark places - here is some of what it found. 21 December 2017 at the Wayback Machine ABC News. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  5. ^ "Child abuse scandals faced by Roman Catholic Church". The Telegraph. United Kingdom. 12 March 2010. from the original on 18 January 2012. Retrieved 21 September 2011.
  6. ^ a b Donovan, Samantha; Metherell, Lexi (13 November 2012). "Victims hail royal commission as bittersweet victory" (transcript, audio and video). AM. Australia: ABC News. from the original on 13 November 2012. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
  7. ^ . Establishment of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse. Commission Report (Report). Vol. 1. Eire: The Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse. Archived from the original on 24 May 2009. Retrieved 14 November 2012.
  8. ^ Thomas, Beatrice; Catanzaro, Joseph (4 June 2012). "Push for wider abuse inquiry". The West Australian. Archived from the original on 5 January 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
  9. ^ Nightingale, Tom (26 May 2012). "Government accused of secrecy over child abuse figures" (transcript). AM. Australia: ABC Radio. from the original on 9 November 2012. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
  10. ^ . Department of Communities, Child Safety and Disability Services. Queensland Government. August 1999. Archived from the original on 18 November 2012. Retrieved 1 December 2012.
  11. ^ Protecting Victoria's Vulnerable Children Inquiry Report 4 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine
  12. ^ a b "Inquiry into the handling of child abuse by religious and other organisations" (PDF). Family and Community Development Committee. Parliament of Victoria. July 2012. (PDF) from the original on 4 October 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
  13. ^ McKenzie, Nick; Baker, Richard; Lee, Jane (13 April 2012). "Church's suicide victims". Canberra Times. from the original on 13 June 2012. Retrieved 2 July 2012.
  14. ^ Lee, Jane; Zwartz, Barney (11 October 2012). "Police slam Catholic Church". The Age. Australia. from the original on 13 November 2012. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
  15. ^ Zwartz, Barney (9 February 2012). "Victims of clergy push for inquiry". The Age. Australia. from the original on 10 February 2012. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
  16. ^ Fitzsimmons, Hamish (2 March 2012). "Church abuse victims demand Royal Commission" (transcript). Lateline. Australia: ABC News. from the original on 27 November 2012. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
  17. ^ Courtin, Judy (14 April 2012). "The truth deserves a commission". The Sydney Morning Herald. from the original on 10 May 2012. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
  18. ^ Short, Michael (25 June 2012). "Hell on Earth". The Sydney Morning Herald. from the original on 28 August 2012. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
  19. ^ "'Too much pain': Wife fears for husband abused as a boy by priest". 26 July 2012. from the original on 10 August 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  20. ^ "'They don't really get it': Apology appreciated, but it won't change anything for John's family". 19 October 2018. from the original on 10 August 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  21. ^ Farr, Malcolm; Shepherd, Tory (12 November 2012). "Tony Abbott supports royal commission into child sex abuse". The Australian. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
  22. ^ "Peter Fox quits the force". 19 November 2014. from the original on 10 August 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  23. ^ Ansari, Tahmina (29 May 2014). "Inquiry finds child abuse whistleblower 'not credible'". ABC News. from the original on 10 August 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  24. ^ O'Farrell, Barry (9 November 2012). "Special Commission of Inquiry" (PDF) (Press release). Government of New South Wales. (PDF) from the original on 9 April 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
  25. ^ "NSW church child abuse inquiry approaches heart of the matter". TheGuardian.com. July 2013. from the original on 10 August 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  26. ^ Ansari, Tahmina (30 May 2014). "Inquiry finds child abuse whistleblower 'not credible'". ABC News. from the original on 10 August 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  27. ^ "Peter Fox was 'obsessed', says senior cop". 26 June 2013. from the original on 10 August 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  28. ^ "Subscribe to the Australian | Newspaper home delivery, website, iPad, iPhone & Android apps".
  29. ^ "Inquiry into child sexual abuse allegations in the Catholic Diocese of Maitland–Newcastle - Premier & Cabinet". from the original on 10 August 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  30. ^ McGregor, Ken (12 November 2012). "Pressure mounts for Royal Commission into sex abuse within the Catholic Church". The Australian. AAP. from the original on 12 November 2012. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
  31. ^ Roxon, Nicola; O'Connor, Brendan (19 November 2012). "Release of consultation paper on the Royal Commission into Child Abuse". Attorney-General's Department (Press release). Commonwealth of Australia. Archived from the original on 3 December 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2012.
  32. ^ "Consultation Paper on the Establishment of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse" (PDF). Royal Commission into Child Sexual Abuse. Commonwealth of Australia. 19 November 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2012.[permanent dead link]
  33. ^ a b "Pell accuses press of exaggerating Catholic abuse". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 13 November 2012. from the original on 10 August 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  34. ^ Drape, Julian (13 November 2012). "Abuse inquiry to run 'as long as it takes'". The Australian. AAP. from the original on 23 May 2013. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
  35. ^ "Pell calls for the facts, not fiction". 13 November 2012. from the original on 10 August 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  36. ^ "Pell an 'embarrassment', says retired bishop". 15 November 2012. from the original on 10 August 2021. Retrieved 10 August 2021.
  37. ^ a b c d "Letters Patent". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. from the original on 22 August 2013. Retrieved 12 January 2013.
  38. ^ Fitzgerald, Robert (2018). "Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse: Lessons and learnings for the People of God". Journal of the Australian Catholic Historical Society. 39: 171–190.
  39. ^ Hyland, Anne (23 December 2022). "From brickie's labourer to Supreme Court judge: Peter McClellan's extraordinary career". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 23 December 2022.
  40. ^ "W/Prof Helen Milroy". The University of Western Australia - UWA Staff Profile. from the original on 2 January 2013. Retrieved 12 January 2013.
  41. ^ a b "Supreme Court judge to head abuse royal commission". ABC News. Australia. 11 January 2013. from the original on 12 January 2013.
  42. ^ "Greens back McClellan appointment". Herald Sun. 11 January 2013. from the original on 12 December 2013. Retrieved 11 January 2013.
  43. ^ Oakes, Dan; Oriti, Thomas (27 May 2014). "Janette Dines resignation: Chief executive of royal commission into child sexual abuse steps down". ABC News. Australia. from the original on 27 May 2014. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  44. ^ Anderson, Stephanie (27 May 2014). "CEO of Royal Commission resigns". SBS World News. Australia. from the original on 27 May 2014. Retrieved 27 May 2014.
  45. ^ "Royal Commissions Act 1902 (Cth), pt 2". from the original on 25 September 2015. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
  46. ^ "Royal Commissions Act 2013 (Cth), pt 4". from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 5 March 2016.
  47. ^ "ROYAL COMMISSIONS ACT 1902 - SECT 2 Power to summon witnesses and take evidence". Austlii.edu.au. from the original on 3 February 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  48. ^ "ROYAL COMMISSIONS ACT 1902 - SECT 3 Failure of witnesses to attend or produce documents". Austlii.edu.au. from the original on 3 February 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  49. ^ "ROYAL COMMISSIONS ACT 1902 - SECT 4 Search warrants". Austlii.edu.au. from the original on 3 February 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2014.
  50. ^ "Legal advisory service launched for Royal Commission witnesses" (transcript). PM. Australia: ABC Radio. 16 July 2013. from the original on 3 February 2014. Retrieved 29 January 2014.
  51. ^ "Tell us your story". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2013. from the original on 3 February 2014. Retrieved 29 January 2014.
  52. ^ "Issues Papers & Submissions, Child Abuse Royal Commission". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. from the original on 29 September 2016. Retrieved 28 September 2016. Page with list of issues papers and submissions, with links to lists of public submissions and the issues papers themselves.
  53. ^ a b "View submissions to Issues Paper 1: Working with Children Check". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2013. from the original on 27 September 2021. Retrieved 29 January 2014.
  54. ^ a b "View submissions to Issues Paper 2: Towards Healing". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2013. from the original on 27 September 2021. Retrieved 29 January 2014.
  55. ^ a b "View submissions to Issues Paper 3: Child Safe Institutions". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2013. Retrieved 29 January 2014.[permanent dead link]
  56. ^ a b "View submissions to Issues Paper 4: Sexual Abuse of Children in Out-of-Home Care". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2013. from the original on 27 September 2021. Retrieved 29 January 2014.
  57. ^ a b "View submissions to Issues Paper 5: Civil Litigation". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2014. from the original on 27 September 2021. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  58. ^ a b "Submissions for Issues paper 6: Redress schemes". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2014. from the original on 27 September 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2015.
  59. ^ a b "Submissions for Issues paper 7: Statutory victims of crime compensation schemes". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2014. from the original on 27 September 2021. Retrieved 15 May 2015.
  60. ^ "Submissions for Issues paper 8: Experience of police and prosecution responses". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2015. from the original on 12 March 2016. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  61. ^ "Submissions for Issues paper 9: Risk of child sexual abuse in schools". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2015. from the original on 12 March 2016. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  62. ^ "Submissions for Issues paper 10: Advocacy and Support and Therapeutic Treatment Services". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2015. from the original on 14 March 2016. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  63. ^ "Submissions for Issues Paper 11, Catholic Church Final Hearing". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2015. from the original on 27 September 2021. Retrieved 28 September 2016.
  64. ^ Presented by Andrea Lockhart, Senior Counsellor/advocate, Ballarat Centre Against Sexual Assault (CASA); in consultation with the Ballarat CASA men's support group / Ballarat survivors group. "Response to redress and civil litigation consultation paper" (PDF). Royal Commission. (PDF) from the original on 30 December 2017.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  65. ^ Blenkiron, Peter. "Royal Commission Submission from the Ballarat Survivors Group Paper 6 Redress Schemes" (PDF). Royal Commission. (PDF) from the original on 30 December 2017.
  66. ^ "Announcement of Chair and CEO of the Catholic Church Council for the Royal Commission" (Press release). Australian Catholic Bishops Conference. 12 December 2012. from the original on 28 January 2016. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  67. ^ Murphy, Damien (26 April 2014). "Former ICAC chief Barry O'Keefe dies aged 80". Sydney Morning Herald. from the original on 3 June 2014. Retrieved 22 May 2014.
  68. ^ "The Hon Neville Owen". The Truth, Justice and Healing Council. 2014. from the original on 27 May 2015. Retrieved 15 May 2015.
  69. ^ Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Web site: Links to case studies 14 June 2016 at the Wayback Machine.
  70. ^ "Case Study 1, September 2013, Sydney". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2013. from the original on 7 May 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  71. ^ "Case Study 2, October 2013, Sydney". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2013. from the original on 23 April 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  72. ^ "Case Study 3, November 2013, Sydney". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2013. from the original on 23 April 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  73. ^ "Case Study 4, December 2013, Sydney". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2014. from the original on 16 May 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  74. ^ "Case Study 5, January 2014, Sydney". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2014. from the original on 27 May 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  75. ^ "Case Study 6, February 2014, Brisbane". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2014. from the original on 16 May 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  76. ^ "Case Study 7, February 2014, Sydney". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2014. from the original on 23 April 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  77. ^ "Case Study 8, March 2014, Sydney". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2014. from the original on 16 May 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  78. ^ "Case Study 9, March 2014, Adelaide". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2014. from the original on 23 April 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  79. ^ "Case Study 10, March 2014, Sydney". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2014. from the original on 23 April 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  80. ^ "Case Study 11, April 2014, Perth". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2014. from the original on 23 April 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  81. ^ "Case Study 12, May 2014, Perth". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2014. from the original on 23 April 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  82. ^ "Case Study 13, June 2014, Canberra". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2014. from the original on 21 May 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  83. ^ "Case Study 14, June 2014, Sydney". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2014. from the original on 16 May 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  84. ^ "Case Study 15, July 2014, Sydney". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2014. from the original on 16 March 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  85. ^ "Case Study 16, August 2014, Melbourne". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2014. from the original on 18 April 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  86. ^ "Case Study 17, September 2014, Darwin". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2014. from the original on 23 April 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  87. ^ "Case Study 18, October 2014, Sydney". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2014. from the original on 23 April 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  88. ^ "Case Study 19, October 2014, Sydney". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2014. from the original on 23 April 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  89. ^ "Case Study 20, November 2014, Hobart". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2014. from the original on 23 April 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  90. ^ "Case Study 21, Sydney". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2015. from the original on 30 May 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  91. ^ "Case Study 22, February 2015, Melbourne". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2015. from the original on 22 May 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  92. ^ a b c "Case Study 23, February 2015, Sydney". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2015. from the original on 2 May 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  93. ^ "Case Study 24, March 2015, Sydney". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2015. from the original on 7 May 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  94. ^ "Case Study 25, March 2015, Sydney". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2015. from the original on 22 May 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  95. ^ "Case Study 26, April 2015, Rockhampton". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2015. from the original on 22 May 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  96. ^ "Case Study 27, May 2015, Sydney". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2015. from the original on 10 May 2015. Retrieved 16 May 2015.
  97. ^ a b "Case Study 28, May 2015, Ballarat". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2016. from the original on 12 March 2016. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  98. ^ Franklin, J. (2015). "Gerald Ridsdale, pedophile priest, in his own words" (PDF). Journal of the Australian Catholic Historical Society (36): 219–230.
  99. ^ a b "Cardinal George Pell 'too ill' to travel from Rome for child sex abuse inquiry". ABC News. 5 February 2016. from the original on 17 February 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  100. ^ a b "George Pell excused from giving evidence at child sexual abuse royal commission in person". ABC News. 8 February 2016. from the original on 16 February 2016. Retrieved 17 February 2016.
  101. ^ a b "At the scene: George Pell leaves abuse survivors unconvinced after first royal commission hearing". ABC News. 29 February 2016. from the original on 29 February 2016. Retrieved 29 February 2016.
  102. ^ "Case Study 29, July 2015, Sydney". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2015. from the original on 18 August 2015. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  103. ^ "Case Study 30, August 2015, Melbourne". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2015. from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  104. ^ "Case Study 31, August 2015, Sydney". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2015. from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  105. ^ "Case Study 32, September 2015, Melbourne and Sydney". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2015. from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  106. ^ "Case Study 33, October 2015, Adelaide". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2015. from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  107. ^ "Case Study 34, November 2015, Brisbane". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2015. from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  108. ^ "Case Study 35, November 2015, Melbourne". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2016. from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  109. ^ "Case Study 36, January 2016, Hobart". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2016. from the original on 7 March 2016. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  110. ^ "Case Study 37, March 2016, Sydney". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2016. from the original on 12 March 2016. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  111. ^ "Case Study 38, March 2016, Sydney". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2016. from the original on 12 March 2016. Retrieved 12 March 2016.
  112. ^ "Case Study 39, April 2016, Sydney". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2016. from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  113. ^ "Case Study 40, August 2016, Sydney". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2016. from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  114. ^ "Case Study 41, July 2016, Sydney". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2016. from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  115. ^ "Case Study 42, August and November 2016, Newcastle and Sydney". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2016. from the original on 19 December 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  116. ^ "Case Study 43, August 2016, Newcastle". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2016. from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  117. ^ "Case Study 44, September 2016, Sydney". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2016. from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  118. ^ "Case Study 45, October 2016, Sydney". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2016. from the original on 18 December 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  119. ^ "Case Study 46, November 2016, Sydney". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2016. from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  120. ^ "Case Study 47, December 2016, Sydney". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2016. from the original on 10 December 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  121. ^ "Case Study 48, December 2016, Sydney". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2016. from the original on 20 December 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  122. ^ "Case Study 49, December 2016, Sydney". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2016. from the original on 6 December 2016. Retrieved 10 December 2016.
  123. ^ Wells, Jamelle; Armitage, Rebecca (20 September 2013). "Paedophile Steven Larkins got welfare agency job two months before police checks were introduced, royal commission told". ABC News. Australia. from the original on 12 February 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  124. ^ Wells, Jamelle (20 September 2013). "Paedophile's former colleague didn't believe child sexual abuse rumours, royal commission hears". ABC News. Australia. from the original on 25 January 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  125. ^ Wells, Jamelle; Armitage, Rebecca (20 September 2013). "Royal commission told Scouts 'failed' abused children, kept file on paedophile leader Steven Larkins". ABC News. Australia. from the original on 22 January 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  126. ^ Report of Case Study No. 1 (PDF). Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (PDF). Commonwealth of Australia. March 2014. pp. 1–57. ISBN 978-1-925118-12-4. (PDF) from the original on 5 May 2014. Retrieved 5 May 2014.
  127. ^ "Child abuse inquiry reopens in Sydney". Herald Sun. AAP. 20 January 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2014.[permanent dead link]
  128. ^ a b McDonald, Philippa; Armitage, Rebecca (21 October 2013). "Royal commission into child sexual abuse to examine YMCA, including response to paedophile Jonathan Lord". ABC News. Australia. from the original on 25 January 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  129. ^ a b Armitage, Catherine (31 January 2014). "Department imposes strict childcare conditions on YMCA NSW". The Sydney Morning Herald. from the original on 1 February 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  130. ^ Oriti, Thomas (21 January 2014). "NSW YMCA denies claims of failure over childcare worker who abused boys". ABC News. Australia. from the original on 29 January 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  131. ^ Partridge, Emma (18 January 2013). "Lord to serve minimum six years' jail for child sexual assaults". St George and Sutherland Shire Leader. from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  132. ^ YMCA NSW's response to the conduct of Jonathan Lord (PDF) (1 ed.). Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. June 2014. p. 17. ISBN 978-1-925118-19-3. from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 2 March 2015. On 18 January 2013, Lord was sentenced to 10 years in prison with a non‐parole period of 6 years. After plea bargaining, he was sentenced for 13 offences involving 12 children:
  133. ^ [of the Roman Catholic Church v Ellis & ANOR] [2007] NSWCA 117 (24 May 2007), Court of Appeal (NSW, Australia)
  134. ^ "Amber Louise's story". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse. 23 October 2017. from the original on 11 April 2020. Retrieved 11 April 2020.
  135. ^ a b Oriti, Thomas; Bourke, Emily (3 February 2014). "Salvation Army whistleblowers dismissed from Indooroopilly, Qld, home for reporting alleged abuse, royal commission hears". PM. Australia: ABC News. from the original on 4 February 2014. Retrieved 4 February 2014.
  136. ^ "Salvation Army in disbelief over abuse complaints, inquiry hears". The Australian. AAP. 4 February 2014. from the original on 1 March 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  137. ^ a b Oriti, Thomas (4 February 2014). "Salvation Army officers allegedly moved interstate if accused of child sex abuse". ABC News. Australia. from the original on 4 February 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  138. ^ Oriti, Thomas (31 January 2014). "Salvation Army suspends officer John McIver over child sexual abuse royal commission". ABC News. Australia. from the original on 5 February 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  139. ^ Thrower, Louise (5 February 2014). "Royal Commission: Torture and rape at Gill Memorial". Goulburn Post. from the original on 4 February 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2014.
  140. ^ "Yoga ashram didn't consider sex abuse a crime, royal commission told". Guardian Australia. AAP. 4 December 2014. from the original on 7 February 2017.
  141. ^ Australian Associated Press (2 December 2014). "Ashram apologises to child sexual abuse victims it threatened to sue". The Guardian. Retrieved 13 March 2022.
  142. ^ Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (April 2016). "Report of Case Study No. 21" (PDF). p. 8.
  143. ^ a b Marr, David (18 February 2015). "Rabbis' absolute power: how sex abuse tore apart Australia's Orthodox Jewish community". The Guardian. from the original on 28 January 2016. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  144. ^ a b "Case Study 22, February 2015, Melbourne". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 2 February 2015. from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  145. ^ "Australian Chabad Rabbi Resigns Over Sex Abuse Scandal". Forward. 1 September 2015. from the original on 27 January 2016. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  146. ^ Levi, Joshua (18 June 2015). "All change at the Yeshivah Centre". Australian Jewish News. from the original on 4 March 2016. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  147. ^ a b Goldberg, Dan (10 February 2015). . Haaretz. Archived from the original on 29 January 2016. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  148. ^ Rabbi Moshe Gutnick tells Royal Commission into child sex abuse that 'Jews must report sex abuse' 3 May 2016 at the Wayback Machine The Age, 5 Feb 2015
  149. ^ In national abuse probe, leading Australian rabbi decries Orthodox community’s ‘cover-up culture’ 14 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine The Jerusalem Post, 4 February 2015
  150. ^ Bibby, Paul (22 January 2015). "Royal Commission to publicly examine Sydney private school Knox Grammar over child sexual abuse". The Sydney Morning Herald. from the original on 25 January 2015. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  151. ^ Higgins, Ean. "Arrest warrant issued for former Knox teacher Christopher Fotis". The Australian. No. 26 February 2015. AAP. from the original on 13 June 2015. Retrieved 2 March 2015. In the wake of Mr Fotis' failure to answer the summons issued on him by the Royal Commission, the Royal Commission has issued a warrant for his arrest," Mr [David] Lloyd [counsel assisting the Royal Commission]
  152. ^ "Knox Grammar Royal Commission: Former headmaster Ian Paterson admits to hindering police investigation into paedophile ring". Daily Telegraph. 4 March 2015. Retrieved 17 May 2015.
  153. ^ a b c "Knox to rename ethics centre after royal commission into child sex abuse". North Shore Times. AAP. 6 March 2015. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  154. ^ "Former Knox headmaster gave glowing reference to teacher with child-sex convictions, inquiry told". North Shore Times. 4 March 2015. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  155. ^ "Royal commission into sex abuse: Knox Grammar headmaster Ian Paterson 'did not realise groping was a crime'". Sydney Morning Herald. 3 March 2015. from the original on 15 March 2015.
  156. ^ Higgins, Ean (2 March 2015). "Knox Grammar: Master quit over suspected pedophile's appointment". The Australian. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  157. ^ Higgins, Ean (6 March 2015). "Knox headmaster insists he informed police". The Australian. Retrieved 7 March 2015.
  158. ^ a b c Gemma.Choy (6 December 2017). "Report into Catholic Church authorities in Ballarat released | Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. from the original on 16 December 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  159. ^ Commonwealth of Australia (December 2017). "Final Report: Volume 16, Religious institutions Book 2" (PDF). Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. p. 106. (PDF) from the original on 22 December 2017.
  160. ^ Cunningham, Melissa (15 December 2017). "Do ask, do tell: Commission calls for mandatory reporting of child sex abuse". The Sydney Morning Herald. from the original on 16 December 2017. Retrieved 18 December 2017.
  161. ^ "Final Report: Volume 16, Religious institutions Book 1" (PDF). Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. p. 73. (PDF) from the original on 22 December 2017.
  162. ^ Williams, Jacqueline (14 December 2017). "Australia and Catholic Church 'Failed' Abused Children, Inquiry Finds". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. from the original on 17 December 2017. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
  163. ^ "Catholic leaders reject royal commission's key recommendations". ABC News. 15 December 2017. from the original on 17 December 2017. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
  164. ^ Wrigley, Brendan (6 December 2017). "We failed and we are sorry: church responds to scathing report". The Courier. from the original on 16 December 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  165. ^ Wrigley, Brendan (5 December 2017). "Royal Commission slams former Ballarat Bishop in Melbourne report". The Courier. from the original on 16 December 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  166. ^ a b "Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse: Catholic Church authorities in Ballarat - Report of Case Study No. 28" (PDF). Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. (PDF) from the original on 22 December 2017.
  167. ^ a b "Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse: Catholic Church authorities in Ballarat - Report of Case Study No. 28" (PDF). Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. pp. 433–436. (PDF) from the original on 22 December 2017.
  168. ^ Deery, Shannon (6 December 2017). "Royal Commission finds abuse of children a 'catastrophic institutional failure' of the Catholic Church". Herald Sun. from the original on 2 May 2019. Retrieved 21 December 2017.
  169. ^ "Paedophile Christian Brother's 'inadequate' jail term increased after appeal". ABC News. 18 September 2015. from the original on 7 December 2016. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
  170. ^ "Diocese of Ballarat failed to act in the interests of abused children for decades, Royal Commission reports says | The Catholic Leader". catholicleader.com.au. 6 December 2017. from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
  171. ^ a b Commonwealth of Australia (November 2017). "Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse's report into Case Study 28 – Catholic Church authorities in Ballarat" (PDF). p. 32. (PDF) from the original on 22 December 2017.
  172. ^ Neil, Wrigley, Megan, Brendan (12 December 2017). "Royal Commission finds 'inexcusable failures' in Ballarat Catholic Church's treatment of abuse victims". The Age. from the original on 22 December 2017.
  173. ^ Gemma.Choy (6 December 2017). "Report into Catholic Church authorities in Ballarat released | Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. from the original on 16 December 2017. Retrieved 17 December 2017.
  174. ^ Chris Johnston (22 February 2016). "Christian Brother 'gyrated' against me: Catholic sexual abuse victim". The Age, Victoria. from the original on 26 March 2016. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  175. ^ "Christian Brothers 'abused 850 children'". Skynews.com. 22 February 2016. from the original on 29 March 2016. Retrieved 17 March 2016.
  176. ^ Johnston, Chris (25 February 2016). "Christian Brothers hired private investigator to 'dig dirt' on abuse victims". The Age. from the original on 16 December 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  177. ^ "Christian Brother 'authorised funding for investigator to track abuse victims'". ABC News. 24 February 2016. from the original on 30 October 2016. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  178. ^ Glynis McNeight, Glynis. "Report from Glynis McNeight to Doyle Considine Lawyers re Brother Dowlan" (PDF). Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. (PDF) from the original on 16 December 2017.
  179. ^ Cunningham, Melissa (24 February 2016). "Investigator tracked down Dowlan sex abuse victims". The Courier. from the original on 16 December 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  180. ^ "Brothers' handling of abuse 'indefensible'". 3 May 2013. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  181. ^ HENDERSON, FIONA (3 May 2013). "Abuse inquiry: Christian Brothers paid $1 million to defend Best". The Courier. from the original on 16 December 2017. Retrieved 16 December 2017.
  182. ^ "Common institutional responses to child sexual abuse across religious institutions". 15 August 2017. from the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  183. ^ "Institutional responses to child sexual abuse in the Jehovah's Witnesses". 15 August 2017. from the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  184. ^ "Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, summary of Case Study 29 into Jehovah's Witnesses and Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Australia Ltd". 27 July 2015. from the original on 20 November 2017. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  185. ^ "Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, opening submissions, Case 29". from the original on 18 June 2017. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  186. ^ "Australia Royal Commission into Child Sexual Abuse - Submissions of Senior Counsel". Child Abuse Royal Commission. March 2017. p. 12. from the original on 22 September 2017. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
  187. ^ Report of Case Study No. 29: The response of the Jehovah's Witnesses and Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Australia Ltd to allegations of child sexual abuse (PDF) (Report). Commonwealth of Australia. 2016. p. 77. (PDF) from the original on 12 December 2020. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  188. ^ "Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse—Religious institutions—Final Report". Commonwealth of Australia. 15 August 2017. from the original on 26 February 2021. Retrieved 17 February 2021.
  189. ^ Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Report of Case Study no. 32: The response of Geelong Grammar School to allegations of child sexual abuse of former students 3 November 2020 at the Wayback Machine, published December 2016.
  190. ^ "Case Study 40, August 2016, Sydney". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. August 2016. from the original on 22 August 2017. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
  191. ^ McDonald, Philippa; Oriti, Thomas (20 June 2016). "Royal commission examining child sexual abuse in ADF". ABC News. Australia. from the original on 26 July 2016. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  192. ^ "Report into the Australian Defence Force released" (Press release). Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 22 August 2017. from the original on 22 August 2017. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
  193. ^ Weber, David; Lord, Kathy (22 August 2017). "Royal Commission finds widespread abuse of HMAS Leeuwin recruits in Fremantle". ABC News. Australia. from the original on 23 August 2017. Retrieved 22 August 2017.
  194. ^ Cosgrove, Sir Peter (13 November 2014). "Amendment to Letters Patent". Terms of Reference. Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. from the original on 26 February 2015. Retrieved 2 March 2015. ... amend Our Letters Patent to require you to submit to Our Governor-General a report of the results of your inquiry, and your recommendations, not later than 15 December 2017
  195. ^ "Interim Report–released on 30 June 2014". About us-Our reports. Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 30 June 2014. from the original on 18 March 2015. Retrieved 2 March 2015. (PDF versions: Volume 1 27 September 2021 at the Wayback Machine, ISBN 978-1-925118-26-1 (455 kB) & Volume 2 1 August 2014 at the Wayback Machine, ISBN 978-1-925118-28-5 (209 kB))
  196. ^ "Royal commission into child sex abuse releases interim report, calls for extension and more funds". ABC. 30 June 2014. from the original on 27 January 2015. Retrieved 29 May 2015.
  197. ^ "Royal Commission releases implementation report" (Press release). Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. 1 June 2015. from the original on 19 September 2015. Retrieved 14 June 2015.
  198. ^ "Case Study Reports". Public Hearing-Findings. Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. from the original on 27 November 2014. Retrieved 20 December 2014.
  199. ^ Jason.Setchell (16 August 2017). "Recommendations | Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse". Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. from the original on 22 December 2017. Retrieved 20 December 2017.
  200. ^ a b Morrison, Scott (22 October 2018). National Apology Address (Speech). Parliament of Australia. Canberra: Prime Minister of Australia. from the original on 22 September 2019. Retrieved 22 September 2019.
  201. ^ a b c Tomazin, Farrah (8 May 2020). "Catholic Church's legal deluge compounded by damning Pell findings". The Sydney Morning Herald. from the original on 9 May 2020. Retrieved 9 May 2020.

Further reading

  • Parkinson, Patrick (24 October 2013). (PDF) (Speech). The Smith Lecture 2013. Sydney: City Bible Forum. Archived from the original (PDF transcript) on 6 March 2014. Retrieved 5 February 2014.

External links

  • Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse website
  • Report of Case Study No. 1 (PDF). Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse (PDF). Commonwealth of Australia. March 2014. pp. 1–57. ISBN 978-1-925118-12-4.
  • Royal Commission Pledge

royal, commission, into, institutional, responses, child, sexual, abuse, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sour. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse news newspapers books scholar JSTOR February 2021 Learn how and when to remove this template message The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse was a royal commission announced in November 2012 1 and established in 2013 by the Australian government pursuant to the Royal Commissions Act 1902 to inquire into and report upon responses by institutions to instances and allegations of child sexual abuse in Australia The establishment of the commission followed revelations of child abusers being moved from place to place instead of their abuse and crimes being reported There were also revelations that adults failed to try to stop further acts of child abuse 2 The commission examined the history of abuse in educational institutions religious groups sporting organisations state institutions and youth organisations 3 The final report of the commission was made public on 15 December 2017 4 Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual AbuseCommissionersPeter McClellan Chief Bob AtkinsonJennifer CoateRobert FitzgeraldHelen MilroyAndrew MurrayInquiry period13 January 2013 2013 01 13 15 December 2017 2017 12 15 Constituting instrumentRoyal Commissions Act 1902Websitechildabuseroyalcommission wbr gov wbr au Contents 1 Background 1 1 Hunter Special Commission of Inquiry 2 Terms of reference 3 Commissioners and executive 4 Powers 5 Submissions 6 Public hearings 6 1 Scouts Australia 6 2 YMCA NSW 6 3 Towards Healing 6 4 Salvation Army 6 5 Mangrove Yoga Ashram 6 6 Yeshiva Melbourne and Yeshiva Bondi 6 7 Knox Grammar School and the Uniting Church 6 8 Catholic Church authorities in Ballarat 6 9 Jehovah s Witnesses 6 10 Geelong Grammar School 6 11 Australian Defence Force 7 Reports 8 Outcomes 8 1 Supreme Court s Institutional Liability List 9 See also 10 References 11 Further reading 12 External linksBackground EditDuring the late 1990s and early 2000s allegations were made of child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church in Australia and in a number of other religious and non religious institutions Some of these allegations led to convictions trials and ongoing investigations into acts committed by Catholic priests and members of Catholic religious orders 5 Some of the allegations relate to incidents alleged to have taken place during the 1950s others later There were calls for a Royal Commission since the late 1990s 6 Similar allegations against the Roman Catholic Church had been made in the United States in Ireland in Canada in Belgium and several other European countries In Ireland the government s Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse was established in 2000 and presented its final report to the Dail in 2009 covering allegations of child abuse from 1936 onwards 7 A 1996 parliamentary inquiry in Western Australia attempted to review the extent of abuse including sexual abuse of children in state care however it realised that the scope of the task was too big 8 In South Australia there were allegations that the Government of South Australia was not accurately reporting the numbers of children being sexually abused in remote parts of the state 9 In Queensland during 1999 the Commission of Inquiry into Abuse of Children in Queensland Institutions headed by Leneen Forde a former Governor of Queensland investigated the treatment of children in 159 licensed government and non government institutions from 1911 to 1999 In its report the Inquiry found that abuse had occurred and made 42 recommendations relating to contemporary child protection practices youth justice and redress of past abuse 10 In Victoria in January 2011 the Protecting Victoria s Vulnerable Children Inquiry was launched to investigate Victoria s child protection system and make recommendations to strengthen and improve the protection and support of vulnerable young people 11 The inquiry was chaired by a former Supreme Court of Victoria Justice the Hon Philip Cummins and reported in January 2012 The report considered the issue of the sexual and other abuse of children by personnel in religious organisations and recommended that a formal investigation should be conducted into the processes by which religious organisations respond to the criminal abuse of children by personnel in their organisation 12 A bi partisan parliamentary inquiry was established in May 2012 in that state to seek information about the causes and effects of criminal abuse within religious and other non government organisations whether victims were discouraged from reporting such abuse if such abuse was reported how the reporting of their experience of abuse was handled the consequences of abuse including the effect on the victims and others and the consequences for the perpetrator s the adequacy of the policies procedures and practices within religious and other non government organisations that related to the prevention of and response to child abuse and suggestions for reform to help prevent abuse and ensure that allegations of abuse are properly dealt with 12 During its proceedings it heard from a police report that detailed 40 suicide deaths directly related to abuse by Roman Catholic clergy 13 In October 2012 the chief commissioner of Victoria Police Ken Lay in a submission to the parliamentary inquiry recommended that some of the Roman Catholic Church s actions to hinder investigations including dissuading victims from reporting to police failing to engage with police and alerting suspects of allegations against them be criminalised 14 By June 2012 there was community and academic pressure for the establishment of a royal commission most especially in Victoria 15 16 17 18 Hunter Special Commission of Inquiry Edit In July 2012 John Pirona a victim of notorious priest Father John Denham took his own life Pirona left a note that said Too Much Pain 19 The prime minister Julia Gillard visited Newcastle on 8 August 2012 the day of Pirona s funeral where mourners backed The Newcastle Herald s Shine the Light campaign for a royal commission Journalist Joanne McCarthy s report on Pirona s death and clergy abuse in the Maitland Newcastle diocese was the catalyst for the Shine the Light campaign that would ultimately lead to the royal commission 20 In November 2012 Peter Fox a senior detective in the NSW Police revealed that he was stood down from investigating child sexual abuse by Catholic clergy while he was compiling explosive evidence from a key witness and that the church covers up silences victims hinders police investigations alerts offenders destroys evidence and moves priests to protect the good name of the church 21 22 Fox went public with his allegations in November 2012 when he spoke about the evil of paedophilia within the Catholic Church 23 On 9 November 2012 the Premier of New South Wales Barry O Farrell announced the appointment of a special commission of inquiry into allegations raised about police handling of abuse by clergy in the Roman Catholic Church in the Hunter region The commission was headed by Margaret Cunneen 24 The Special Commission inquiry centred around internal church documents obtained by Newcastle Herald journalist Joanne McCarthy that revealed a group of senior clergy allegedly attempting to conceal the crimes of Father Denis McAlinden a prolific paedophile 25 The inquiry found that Fox was not a credible witness prone to exaggeration and his evidence must be approached with caution 26 27 28 The report also found that senior Catholic Church officials including former Bishop Leo Clarke withheld information from police 29 On 12 November 2012 the prime minister Julia Gillard announced that she would be recommending to the governor general the creation of a royal commission 2 6 30 On 19 November 2012 federal attorney general Nicola Roxon and the acting minister for families Brendan O Connor 31 released a consultation paper seeking input into the commission s scope of the terms of reference how the Commonwealth and the states and territories would work together the number of commissioners and suggested areas of expertise the proposed timetable and reporting requirements 32 Archbishop Denis Hart president of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference stated that he welcomed and promised co operation with a Royal Commission to broadly investigate child sexual abuse in institutions across Australia The Australian Bishops Conference said that talk of a systemic problem of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church is ill founded and inconsistent with the facts 33 Cardinal George Pell stated that he hoped the royal commission would stop a smear campaign against the Catholic Church 34 35 During a press conference held on 13 November 2012 Cardinal Pell voiced his support for the royal commission and welcomed the opportunity to help victims and clear the air 33 Responding to Pell s press conference Bishop Geoffrey Robinson described Pell as a great embarrassment to me and to a lot of good Catholic people 36 Terms of reference EditOn 11 January 2013 Governor General Quentin Bryce issued Commonwealth letters patent appointing six commissioners and the commission s terms of reference The commissioners were directed to inquire into institutional responses to allegations and incidents of child sexual abuse and related matters 37 Each state was also requested to issue letters patent or their equivalent instruments of appointment which allow the six commissioners to conduct an inquiry into institutional responses to child sexual abuse under their respective laws The commissioners were formally appointed under Western Australian law on 22 January 2013 Queensland law on 24 January 2013 New South Wales law on 25 January 2013 Victorian law on 12 February 2013 Tasmanian law on 4 March 2013 and South Australian law on 7 March 2013 37 Despite both the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory having their own governments they are officially administered under the Commonwealth of Australia and the Commonwealth letters patent covered their jurisdiction Commissioners and executive EditGillard announced the setting up of the royal commission and the appointment of six commissioners with Peter McClellan as its head The six commissioners were 37 Bob Atkinson a former Police Commissioner of Queensland who oversaw police reforms following the Fitzgerald Inquiry Jennifer Coate an appointee to the Family Court of Australia a judge of the County Court of Victoria and a former president of Children s Court of Victoria Robert Fitzgerald a commissioner on the Productivity Commission convenor to the Indigenous Disadvantage Working Group and a former commissioner on the NSW Community and Disability Services 38 Peter McClellan a Supreme Court of New South Wales judge a former chair of the Sydney Water Inquiry and a former assistant commissioner at the Independent Commission Against Corruption 39 Helen Milroy a consultant psychiatrist with the WA Department of Health specialising in child and adolescent psychiatry and director of the Western Australian Centre for Aboriginal Medical and Dental Health 40 Andrew Murray a former senator from Western Australia and advocate on issues surrounding institutionalised childrenThe setting up of the royal commission was established by Julia Gillard supported by the opposition leader Tony Abbott and by the Greens as were the terms of reference and the choice of commissioners 41 42 The inaugural chief executive officer was Janette Dines who served from January 2013 until June 2014 43 44 Powers EditMain article Royal Commissions Act 1902 The powers of royal commissions in Australia are set out in the enabling legislation the Royal Commissions Act 1902 Cth The Royal Commissions Amendment Act 2013 was approved by Parliament to give the Child Abuse Royal Commission additional powers to fulfil its terms of reference Notable changes were Enabling the chair to authorise one or more members to hold a public or private hearing 45 Authorise members of the royal commission to hold private sessions 46 Royal commissions appointed pursuant to the Royal Commissions Act or otherwise have powers to issue a summons to a person to appear before the commission at a hearing to give evidence or to produce documents specified in the summons require witnesses to take an oath or give an affirmation and require a person to deliver documents to the commission at a specified place and time 47 A person served with a summons or a notice to produce documents must comply with that requirement or face prosecution for an offence The penalty for conviction upon such an offence is a fine of A 1 000 or six months imprisonment 48 A royal commission may authorise the Australian Federal Police to execute search warrants 49 Submissions EditThe commissioners invited members of the public to make submissions either orally over the telephone in writing or via face to face meetings with a commission officer To help people planning to give evidence in July 2013 the attorney general Mark Dreyfus announced provision of a free national legal service independent of the royal commission by the National Association of Community Legal Centres 50 Witnesses were offered the opportunity to tell their story to the Royal Commission via either public hearings or in private 51 The commissioners identified a number of themes and invited members of the public organisations and institutions to make submissions on each of the following issues As of September 2016 update there were no issues papers open for submission The number of public submissions is listed 52 Issue Close dateof submissions submissionsreceived Reference1 Working With Children Check 12 August 2013 79 53 2 Towards Healing 4 September 2013 23 54 3 Child Safe Institutions 11 October 2013 53 55 4 Sexual Abuse of Children in Out of Home Care 8 November 2013 62 56 5 Civil Litigation 17 March 2014 37 57 6 Redress schemes 2 June 2014 86 58 7 Statutory victims of crime compensation schemes 30 June 2014 44 59 8 Experience of police and prosecution responses 15 June 2015 23 60 9 Risk of child sexual abuse in schools 31 August 2015 38 61 10 Advocacy and Support and Therapeutic Treatment Services 30 November 2015 120 62 11 Catholic Church Final Hearing 1 July 2016 44 63 Submissions were made by organisations including the Jehovah s Witnesses the Anglican Church Anglicare Barnardos Australia Bravehearts Broken Rites CREATE Foundation the Law Council of Australia the Lutheran Church MacKillop Family Services Mission Australia the National Association for Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect SNAP Australia Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests the Roman Catholic Church in Australia Save the Children Australia Scouts Australia The Smith Family the St Vincent de Paul Society Surf Life Saving Australia the Church of Christ Latter Day Saints the Salvation Army the Uniting Church and YMCA Australia In addition there were submissions from survivors groups such as Ballarat survivors group and representatives of victims and survivors 64 65 The Australian Government and the governments of the ACT NSW Queensland South Australia Tasmania Victoria and Western Australia made submissions The list of government agencies which made submissions is extensive and includes the ACT Children amp Young People Commissioner the Australian Children s Education amp Care Quality Authority the Australian Federal Police the Australian Human Rights Commission the Australian Senate the Commission for Children and Young People and Child Guardian Queensland the Commissioner for Children and Young People WA the Commissioner for Victim s Rights SA Legal Aid NSW the Legal Services Commission of South Australia the NSW Children s Guardian the NSW Ombudsman Queensland State Archives the Secretariat of National Aboriginal and Islander Child Care the Victorian Aboriginal Child Care Agency the Victorian Commissioner for Children and Young People and Victoria Legal Aid Many individuals made submissions including David Hill and John Menadue 53 54 55 56 57 58 59 Through the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference the Catholic Church established a national co ordinating body called the Truth Justice and Healing Council to oversee the church s engagement with the royal commission and the pastoral and other ramifications that arose from the sexual abuse scandal 66 The council was chaired by the Honourable Barry O Keefe until his 2014 death 67 He was succeeded by the Honourable Neville Owen a former judge barrister and solicitor 68 The commission detailed the number of abuse claims against 10 religious orders from 1950 to 2010 four orders had allegations of abuse against more than 20 of their members 3 Percentage of church figures behind alleged abuse 1950 2010Religious institution PercentageSt John of God Brothers 40 4Christian Brothers 22Salesians of Don Bosco 21 9Marist Brothers 20 4De La Salle Brothers 13 8Patrician Brothers 12 4Society of Jesus 4 8Missionaries of the Sacred Heart 3 3Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart 0 6Sisters of Mercy Brisbane 0 3Public hearings EditHearings were conducted in every capital city and a number of regional centres across Australia Because the Royal Commission felt it did not have the resources to investigate all of the thousands of allegations of abuse it was receiving hearings were held with a focus on case studies of particular institutions The Royal Commission s web site has an up to date list of case studies 49 as of 10 December 2016 update 69 Case study Date Location Summary description1 Scouts 70 16 19 Sep 2013 Sydney The response of organisations including Scouts Australia Hunter Aboriginal Services and the then Department of Community Services to information and allegations concerning Steven Larkins the former CEO of Hunter Aboriginal Children s Services 2 YMCA 71 21 Oct 1 Nov 2013 Sydney The responses of YMCA and police to allegations made in 2011 that Jonathon Lord sexually abused children in the care of YMCA 3 North Coast Children s Home 72 18 27 Nov 2013 Sydney The handling of complaints and civil litigation concerning child sexual abuse in the North Coast Children s Home by the Anglican Diocese of Grafton in 2006 and 2007 4 Towards Healing 73 9 19 Dec 2013 22 24 Jan 2014 Sydney The establishment operation and review of the Towards Healing process by the Catholic Church 5 Salvation Army NSW and QLD 74 28 Jan 10 Feb 2014 Sydney The Salvation Army s response to child sexual abuse at boys homes in Indooroopilly Riverview Bexley and Goulburn 6 Toowoomba 75 17 24 Feb 2014 Brisbane The response by the Catholic Education Office Diocese of Toowoomba to allegations of child sexual abuse 7 Parramatta Girlsand Hay Institution 76 26 Feb 3 Mar 2014 Sydney The experience of women who were sexually abused as children between 1950 1974 while committed in The Parramatta Girls Training School and The Institution for Girls in Hay 8 Towards Healing 77 10 26 Mar 2014 Sydney The response of the Catholic Church to the complaint made by John Ellis under Towards Healing 9 St Ann s Special School 78 17 24 Mar 2014 Adelaide The responses by the Catholic Archdiocese of Adelaide and the South Australian Police to allegations of child sexual abuse at St Ann s Special School 10 Salvation Army Eastern Territory 79 27 Mar 15 Apr 2014 Sydney The handling by The Salvation Army Eastern Territory of claims of child sexual abuse between 1993 and 2014 11 Christian Brothers 80 28 Apr 7 May 2014 Perth The experiences of men who were resident at Christian Brothers residences in Western Australia 12 Perth school 81 19 May 20 Jun 2014 Perth The response of an independent school in Perth to concerns raised between 1999 and 2009 by teachers and others about another teacher 13 Marist Brothers 82 10 17 Jun 1 Jul 7 August 2014 Canberra The response of the Marist Brothers to allegations of child sexual abuse in schools in the ACT NSW and Queensland 14 Diocese of Wollongong 83 24 27 Jun 2014 Sydney The response of the Catholic Diocese of Wollongong to allegations of child sexual abuse against John Gerard Nestor 15 Swimming Australia 84 7 16 Jul 2014 Sydney The response of Swimming Australia Ltd to allegations of child sexual abuse 16 Melbourne Response 85 18 26 Aug 2014 Melbourne The principles practices and procedures of the Melbourne Response 17 Retta Dixon Home 86 22 Sep 1 Oct 2014 Darwin The experiences of men and women who were sexually abused as children at the Retta Dixon Home 18 Australian Christian Churches 87 7 17 Oct 2014 Sydney The responses by Australian Christian Churches a Pentecostal movement in Australia and two affiliated churches to allegations of child sexual abuse 19 Bethcar Children s Home 88 18 December 2014 Sydney The responses of the State to complaints made and litigation instituted by former residents of Bethcar Children s Home Brewarrina New South Wales 20 Hutchins School 89 19 25 Nov 18 Dec 2014 Hobart The responses by the Hutchins School and the Anglican Diocese of Tasmania to allegations of child sexual abuse at the School 21 Satyananda Yoga Ashram 90 2 10 Dec 2014 29 Apr 2015 Sydney The response of Satyananda Yoga Ashram to allegations of child sexual abuse by the Ashram s former spiritual leader in the 1970s and 1980s 22 Yeshivah 91 2 13 Feb 2015 Sydney The response of Yeshivah Melbourne and Yeshiva Bondi to allegations of child sexual abuse 23 Knox Grammar 92 23 Feb 6 Mar 28 Apr 2015 Sydney The response of Knox Grammar School in Wahroonga New South Wales and the Uniting Church in Australia between 1970 and 2012 to concerns raised about inappropriate conduct by a number of teachers towards students at Knox Grammar School 24 Out of home care 93 10 18 Mar 29 Jun 3 Jul 2015 Sydney Preventing child sexual abuse in out of home care and responding to allegations of child sexual abuse occurring in out of home care 25 Redress and civil litigation 94 25 March 2015 Sydney To enable invited persons and institutions to speak to their written submissions to the Royal Commission s consultation paper on redress and civil litigation 26 St Joseph s Orphanage 95 14 April 2015 Rockhampton The experiences of a number of men and women who were resident at St Joseph s Orphanage Neerkol operated by the Sisters of Mercy between 1940 and 1975 27 Health Care Providers 96 6 13 May 15 May 2015 Sydney The policies and procedures of the NSW Health Care Complaints Commission the Medical Council of NSW the Royal North Shore Hospital Northern Sydney Local Health District New South Wales Ministry of Health and the Royal Children s Hospital Victoria to allegations of child sexual abuse in private medical practices and public hospitals 28 Catholic Church authoritiesin Ballarat 97 98 19 29 May 2015 22 Feb 3 Mar 2016 Ballarat and by video link from the Vatican City 99 100 101 The experiences of residents students and others subject to allegations of child sexual abuse by Catholic clergy in certain institutions in Ballarat 29 Jehovah s Witnesses 102 27 Jul 5 Aug 14 Aug 2015 Sydney The experience of survivors of child sexual abuse within the Jehovah s Witnesses Church and the response systems policies and procedures of the Jehovah s Witnesses Church and the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Australia 30 Correctional centres in Victoria 103 17 28 Aug 2015 Melbourne The experiences of former child residents at Turana Youth Training Centre Winlaton Youth Training Centre and Baltara Reception Centre between the 1960s and early 1990s 31 Towards Healing 104 24 Aug 2015 Sydney The evidence of retired Bishop Geoffrey Robinson regarding the history and development of the Catholic Church s response to child sexual abuse prior to the introduction of Towards Healing 32 Geelong Grammar School 105 1 11 Sep 22 23 Oct 2015 Melbourne and Sydney The experience of former students of Geelong Grammar School Victoria 33 Salvation Army Southern Territory 106 6 14 Oct 2015 Adelaide The experience of former child residents at institutions operated by The Salvation Army Southern Territory between 1940 and 1990 34 Brisbane Grammar School St Paul s School 107 3 12 Nov 20 30 Nov 2015 Brisbane Sydney and Melbourne The experience of former students of Brisbane Grammar School and St Paul s School in Queensland 35 Catholic Archdiocese ofMelbourne 97 108 24 Nov 4 Dec 2015 29 Feb 3 Mar 27 Apr 2016 Melbourne and by video link from the Vatican City 99 100 101 The response of the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne to allegations of child sexual abuse 36 Anglican Dioceses of Tasmania Adelaide Sydney and Brisbane 109 27 January 2016 Hobart The response of the Church of England Boys Society and the Anglican Dioceses of Tasmania Adelaide Sydney and Brisbane to allegations of child sexual abuse 37 Centres for performing arts 110 2 11 Mar 2016 Sydney The experiences of children who received dance instruction at RG Dance Pty Ltd in Chiswick and former students of Australian Institute of Music in Surry Hills between 2002 and 2011 38 Criminal justice issues 111 15 24 Mar 2016 Sydney The experiences of survivors of child sexual abuse in an institutional context in the criminal justice system as complainants against an accused who was the subject of allegations by more than one complainant 39 Sporting clubs 112 4 13 Apr 2016 Sydney The experiences of men and women who were sexually abused as children in sporting clubs 40 Australian Defence Force 113 21 230 Jun 26 Aug 2016 Sydney The experiences of survivors of child sexual abuse of institutions operated by the Australian Defence Force 41 Disability service providers 114 11 22 Jul 2016 Sydney The responses of disability service providers to allegations of child sexual abuse 42 Anglican Diocese of Newcastle 115 2 12 Aug 16 24 Nov 2016 Newcastle and Sydney The experiences of survivors of child sexual abuse perpetrated by clergy and lay people involved in or associated with the Anglican Diocese of Newcastle 43 Catholic Diocese of Maitland Newcastle 116 31 Aug 9 Sep 9 Dec 2016 Newcastle The response of Catholic Church authorities in the Maitland Newcastle region to allegations of child sexual abuse by clergy and religious 44 John Joseph Farrell 117 12 22 Sep 2016 Sydney The responses of the Catholic Diocese of Armidale and the Catholic Diocese of Parramatta to allegations of child sexual abuse made against John Joseph Farrell and the response of the Special Issues Group for the Province of Sydney to allegations of child sexual abuse against John Joseph Farrell 45 Problematic or harmful sexual behaviours 118 20 Oct 4 Nov 2016 Sydney The responses to children with problematic or harmful sexual behaviours in schools 46 Consultation Paper on Criminal Justice 119 28 Nov 2 Dec 2016 Sydney The issues raised in the Royal Commission s Consultation Paper on Criminal Justice and the experience of a survivor of child sexual abuse in an institutional context in the criminal justice system in a recently concluded prosecution in New South Wales 47 YMCA New South Wales 120 15 December 2016 Sydney The current policies and procedures of YMCA New South Wales in relation to child protection and child safety standards including responding to allegations of child sexual abuse 48 Scouts New South Wales 121 6 December 2016 Sydney The current policies and procedures of Scouts New South Wales in relation to child protection and child safety standards including responding to allegations of child sexual abuse 49 The Salvation Army 122 7 December 2016 Sydney The current policies and procedures of The Salvation Army in relation to child protection and child safety standards including responding to allegations of child sexual abuse Scouts Australia Edit In the Hunter region of New South Wales it was alleged that a former member of Scouts Australia suspended from the organisation for abusing two Scouts in the 1990s was employed as the chief executive officer of an Aboriginal child welfare agency two months prior to the formal introduction of working with children checks In testimony before the commission in September 2013 it was revealed that the applicant s suitability for the role may have been assessed by relatively junior staff 123 and that he later falsified his working with children check It was alleged that the NSW Department of Community Services DOCS gave the man permission to have a 17 year old boy whom he was grooming for sex live with him 124 A former CEO of Scouts Australia testified that during his three years in the job he dealt with ten allegations of child sexual abuse He admitted a number of children were sexually abused or harmed and said the Scouts failed them The commission heard testimony from two victims who spoke of the profound effect the sexual abuse had on their lives 125 The first published case study of the royal commission dealt with the response of institutions to the conduct of Steven Larkins who occupied positions of responsibility in Scouts Australia NSW and in the Hunter Aboriginal Children s Service Larkins was prosecuted in 2012 for offences he had committed 15 years earlier and was convicted and imprisoned 126 YMCA NSW Edit Between October 2013 and January 2014 the commission heard evidence that there were systemic failures by management within YMCA NSW 127 after a worker was hired to work at a YMCA child care centre located in Caringbah in southern Sydney without the appropriate background checks 128 The former worker Jonathan Luke Lord has since been convicted of offences relating to the abuse of twelve boys in his care some as young as six 129 130 On 18 January 2013 Lord was sentenced to 10 years and a non parole period of 6 years He was sentenced for 13 offences involving 12 children and another 16 offences were taken into account 131 132 Following evidence presented before the commission the NSW Department of Education and Communities wrote to the Chief Executive Officer of YMCA NSW and issued a compliance notice that set out strict conditions for continuation of the YMCA s childcare licence 129 The Chief Executive Officer of YMCA NSW testified before the commission about the impact of crimes that occurred on YMCA NSW premises 128 The perpetrator was an insidious and deceitful individual who was grooming not only children and parents but the YMCA itself He gained the trust of the children the parents and the fellow staff members to really get close to these children He would go so far as to open the childcare centre for a parent who had to start work early He went above and beyond to help out parents We ve got staff who are struggling to comfort children that come to them distressed because it might be seen as grooming practices So his impacts have been devastating Phillip Hare Chief Executive Officer of YMCA NSW testimony given in 2013 Towards Healing Edit Case Studies 4 8 and 31 inquired into the Catholic Church s Towards Healing program and the Church s responses Hearing 8 also focused on Ellis experience in civil litigation 133 The program received criticism from at least one abuse victim who claimed it delayed reporting her complaint 134 Salvation Army Edit In January 2014 the commission began investigating allegations of sexual and physical abuse of children at four boys homes run by the Salvation Army The homes examined by the commission were the Bexley Boys Home in Sydney the Gill Memorial Home at Goulburn in southern New South Wales the Alkira Salvation Army Home for Boys at Indooroopilly in Brisbane and the Riverview Training Farm at Riverview in Queensland The commission heard testimony from two Salvation Army whistleblowers about allegations of child abuse between 1973 and 1975 The officers testified that they witnessed a boy had his arm dislocated during a beating by another Salvation Army officer The Salvation Army banned the husband and wife whistleblowers from talking to other alleged victims of child abuse and dismissed them from their position as house parents at the Alkira home 135 When the whistleblowers complained to the Queensland Department of Children s Services they were labelled troublemakers 136 The officer at the centre of the allegations had previously worked at the Bexley home from 1968 and then was the manager of the Alkira home between 1974 and 1976 The Salvation Army moved the alleged perpetrator to another Salvation Army service where he was promoted in rank 137 Following the allegations raised at the royal commission the Salvation Army suspended the officer at the centre of the allegations The officer concerned did not attended the commission s hearings but the inquiry has been told he refutes the allegations of sexual abuse 138 The inquiry heard that officers were moved interstate if they were accused of child sexual abuse One officer was dismissed from the Salvation Army in 2005 due to allegations of child sexual abuse 137 The whistleblowers testified that boys at the home were used for alleged sexual exploitation and were allegedly subject to physical abuse 135 They were given drink and chocolates well they were used that day in Brisbane and the next day they were sent down to Sydney Another officer told me the boys were useless and bad and it had to be drummed into them that rules are rules Major Cliff Randall testimony from a Salvation Army whistleblower 2014 Witnesses who testified included alleged victims of child abuse A male witness told the royal commission that while at the Gill Memorial Home at Goulburn aged 12 years he was regularly sexually abused by a Salvation Army officer 139 I was abused at least four out of every seven days Many times he would drag me out of bed at 3am for allegedly making a noise He would punish me by taking me down to the bathrooms and making me scrub the toilets with a toothbrush I was always there on my own He would then sexually abuse me and send me back to bed at 5am I would then have to get up at 6am to start my chores He flogged me when we got back for telling lies He hit me with his open palm on my head chest arms and upper body A victim of alleged child abuse at the Gill Memorial Home Goulburn testimony given in 2014 Mangrove Yoga Ashram Edit See also Sexual abuse by yoga gurus In December 2014 the Commission hearing examined allegations into the Satyananda Yoga Ashram at Mangrove Mountain New South Wales of child sexual abuse by the ashram s former spiritual leader Swami Akhandananda Saraswati in the 1970s and 1980s 140 It found that Akhandananda who was director of the ashram had sexually abused children in his care eleven of whom served as witnesses to the Royal Commission In 1989 Akhandananda was sentenced to two years and four months of imprisonment his conviction was overturned in 1991 141 The Ashram issued an acknowledgement and apology to the survivors of Akhandananda s sexual abuse The apology and acknowledgement stated that the ashram accepted that the child sexual abuse did occur and that the organisation had not responded in a way that was helpful to victims 142 Yeshiva Melbourne and Yeshiva Bondi Edit Testimony by victims of sexual abuse at two Chabad schools Yeshiva in Melbourne and Yeshiva in Bondi and school officials was given at the Commission Witnesses included Manny Waks and his father Several Chabad rabbis were found to have been publicly sermonizing that it was religiously forbidden to report child sex abuse to the police The prohibition against reporting a fellow Jew to the authorities is referred to as Mesirah 143 144 As of 1 September 2015 four Chabad Rabbis had resigned in relation to the controversy 145 As a consequence of the revelations one Chabad institution s Committee of Management was to be replaced and to have its Board of Trustees disbanded 146 Witnesses noted that not only were victims of abuse not protected but those who reported abuse to the rabbis were shunned as mosers who commit mesirah The schools were accused of covering up multiple claims of sexual abuse at their institutions in the 1980s and 1990s 144 147 and of retaliating against whistleblowers and victims 143 147 Rabbi Moshe Gutnick was called to testify He said I believe the cover ups and bullying and intimidation that has gone on represents the antithesis of the teachings of Chabad and Judaism and orthodoxy 148 He acknowledged that the Orthodox Chabad community in Australia was guilty of covering up sex crimes committed in the community and pressuring victims and their families not to report the crimes to the police Gutnick said that people reporting abuse were ostracized mosers informers He said a culture of cover up often couched in religious terms pervaded our thinking and our actions He said that rabbis in these situations had misused their power and that anyone who insists a child sexual abuse victim should go first to a rabbi rather than the police is not doing so out of religious reasons but trying to hush it up to cover it up to prevent the victim from finding redress There is no doubt at all Mesirah informing has no application whatsoever to instances of child sexual abuse To use mesirah in this way is an abomination Gutnick also lamented that there was no formal training for rabbis on how to handle reported abuse Manny Waks an advocate for victims said Today Rabbi Moshe Gutnick restored my faith in ultra Orthodox Judaism For the first time ever the reform that is so critical seems much closer Thank you Rabbi Gutnick Hopefully the rest of the Orthodox Rabbinate will now follow suit What an incredible day for justice 149 Knox Grammar School and the Uniting Church Edit On 23 February 2015 the commission started hearings 92 concerning the response of Knox Grammar School and the Uniting Church in Australia to complaints and criminal proceedings involving teachers who sexually abused students The Commission s remit includes inquiring into the systems policies and procedures involving the school s response to the complaints since 1970 and the experiences of former students sexually abused by teaching staff 92 Four teachers from Knox had been convicted of sexual offences against Knox students 150 A former Knox teacher a resident master at the schools boarding house in 1988 was summonsed to appear at the Commission but failed to do so A warrant was issued by the Commission for his arrest 151 During hearings in early March 2015 several former Knox students and staff alleged that headmaster Ian Paterson did not refer several allegations of sex abuse he received to the police despite there being a requirement for such allegations to be reported from 1988 The commission heard that in fact Paterson had never reported any student s allegation of sexual abuse to police during his thirty years in charge of the school 152 153 Paterson also stated that he had allowed several teachers accused of sexual abuse to resign and subsequently gave them positive references Paterson denied that he had covered up the sexual abuse of students arguing that he had responded to the allegations brought to his attention and stated that I should have known and I should have stopped the events that led to the abuse and its tragic consequences for these boys in my care and their families 153 154 Paterson stated that he was not aware that it was a crime for a teacher to grope or sexually proposition a student 155 Following the section of the hearing concerning Paterson the current headmaster John Weeks stated that the school had changed considerably since the end of Paterson s period in the role and that Knox s Paterson Centre for Ethics and Business Studies would be renamed 153 Weeks also gave evidence to the Royal Commission During this hearing he was questioned over why he had not sacked the teacher who was arrested in 2009 despite having received allegations in 2007 that the teacher had behaved improperly with a student during the 1980s Weeks told the media that the allegations had not been detailed or specific and he had received advice that it would have been difficult on industrial grounds to have dismissed the teacher Weeks also stated that he had reported the teacher to the police child protection unit but the relevant police inspector gave evidence that a report had not been made 156 157 Catholic Church authorities in Ballarat Edit The Royal Commission s final report of Catholic Church authorities in Ballarat was released on 6 December 2017 It covered sexual abuse in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ballarat including the Congregation of Christian Brothers 158 The Royal Commission s final report published on 15 December found that three bishops knew and did nothing about complaints of sexual abuse namely James O Collins Ronald Mulkearns and Peter Connors It found that 139 people made claims of child sexual abuse to the Diocese of Ballarat between 1980 and 2015 and that there were 21 alleged perpetrators identified in claims Of the 21 alleged perpetrators 17 were priests which is 8 7 of the priests who ministered during this period 159 The final report included recommendations 16 6 through 16 26 They include the introduction of mandatory reporting national standards screening candidates before and during seminary or religious formation the introduction of voluntary celibacy for diocesan clergy to remove the requirement to destroy documents relating to canonical criminal cases in materials of morals where the accused cleric has died or ten years have elapsed from the condemnatory sentence amend canon law to remove the time limit prescription for commencement of canonical actions relating to child sexual abuse the bishop of the diocese should ensure that parish priests are not the employers of principals and teachers in Catholic schools modifications to canon law and for more transparency 160 161 162 163 The Commission found that Bishop Mulkearns failed to take action Bishop Mulkearns again was derelict in his duty in failing to take any effective action to have infamous paedophile Gerald Ridsdale referred to police and to restrict Ridsdale s contact with children 164 The Commission pointed to the structure of the Diocese culture and governance concluding The most likely explanation for the conduct of Bishop Mulkearns and other senior clergy in the Diocese was that they were trying to minimise the risk of scandal and protect the reputation of the Catholic Church The Melbourne report found that former Ballarat Diocese Bishop Peter Connors was part of a culture that practiced using oblique or euphemistic language in correspondence and records concerning complaints of child sexual abuse 165 The Commission found that Many children mainly boys said they were sexually abused at St Alipius and or St Patrick s College 166 That most allegations at St Patrick s College were related to Ted Dowlan who taught there from 1973 to 1975 A number of the survivors who gave evidence said they believed a number of their classmates from St Alipius and St Patrick s College had died by suicide or died prematurely because of the abuse 166 and that there was systematic minimisation and cover up of the abuse Here are some extracts from the conclusion of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse s report into Case Study 28 Catholic Church authorities in Ballarat 158 This case study exposed a catastrophic failure in the leadership of the Diocese and ultimately in the structure and culture of the Church over decades to effectively respond to the sexual abuse of children by its priests That failure led to the suffering and often irreparable harm to children their families and the wider community That harm could have been avoided if the Church had acted in the interests of children rather than in its own interests Euphemistic and elliptical language was often used in correspondence and minutes to mask the true nature of the conduct discussed There was repeated reference to pressures strains and unspecified problems On occasions records were deliberately not made or kept or were destroyed The result of these inexcusable failures was that more children were sexually abused by Catholic clergy in the Diocese There was a catastrophic institutional failure which resulted in many children being sexually abused We heard about the devastating often lifelong consequences in the lives of those children The welfare of children was not the primary concern of Bishop Mulkearns and other senior members of the Diocese when responding to complaints and allegation of child sexual abuse against their priests There is no doubt it should have been The report on Ballarat also described the impact it had on victims One section outlines suicide and premature death caused from the abuse One victim said Newspapers don t report suicides so the public doesn t hear about the broken families and their shared lives about the unseen impact of institutional child sexual abuse Children are left behind and they don t understand why It doesn t end when the abuse ends 167 Other harms are outlined Another victim outlines the general harm in the Ballarat community Such chronic sexual abuse in the Ballarat community has led to a large number of men who are not able to be productive members of society and intellects have become either emotional social or financial burdens upon the community 167 The Royal Commission s final report of Catholic Church authorities in Ballarat was released on 6 December 158 The report found that 56 Christian Brothers had claims of sexual abuse made against them in Ballarat and that there was a complete failure by the Christian Brothers to protect the most vulnerable children in their care 168 The Commissioners found that in one instances after a complaint was made to Brother Nangle about Brother Dowlan who was later jailed for sexual abuse 169 was putting his hands down students pants a student was required to apologise to the school assembly for spreading lies 170 171 The response to complaints of sexual abuse was grossly inadequate and that Christian Brothers were moved after an allegation had been made 172 The Report found Often the Christian Brother in question was allowed to remain in the position he held where the allegations arose with continuing access to children On many occasions the Brother was moved to a new location after a complaint or allegation was made about his conduct In some cases the reason given for the move was to conceal the true reason for it and to protect the reputation of the Christian Brothers and avoid scandal and embarrassment 173 171 During the Royal Commission it was found that 853 children average age 13 had been sexually abused by one or more Christian Brothers 174 Child abuse complaints were made against 281 Christian Brothers and the Congregation had paid A 37 3 million in compensation 175 During the Ballarat Case Study of the Royal Commission it was found that Glynis McNeight a private investigator was paid for by the Christian Brothers through a retained law firm pursued victims and their families who were sexually abused by Brother Edward Dowlan 176 177 McNeight s report was tabled 178 which contained a strategy to manipulate witnesses such as a victim could be easily be torn down in the witness box and The person himself is a very nervous excitable type who will reduce to tears and bad language easily 179 It was also shown that the Christian Brothers knew of abuse from Brothers but did not tell police 180 and spent almost 1 5 million defending paedophile Brother Robert Best Edward Dowlan and Stephen Farrell 181 Jehovah s Witnesses Edit Main article Jehovah s Witnesses handling of child sex abuse In July and August 2015 the royal commission examined the handling of child sexual abuse cases by Jehovah s Witnesses in Australia Their case studies showed that it was a common practice of religious institutions to adopt in house responses when dealing with allegations of child sexual abuse 182 The royal commission presented the accounts of two female sex abuse victims and also questioned seven elders and a circuit overseer associated with the congregations where the abuse took place It also questioned two senior members of the Watch Tower Society Australian branch as well as Geoffrey Jackson a member of the New York based Governing Body The hearing was told that in response to a summons issued by the commission the Watch Tower Society had produced 5 000 documents relating to 1 006 case files of allegations of child sexual abuse reported to Jehovah s Witness elders in Australia since 1950 each file for a different alleged perpetrator of child sexual abuse including 579 cases in which the perpetrator confessed The case study regarding the Jehovah s Witnesses showed that the organisation dealt with allegations of child sexual abuse in accordance with internal scripturally based disciplinary policies and procedures 183 The documents showed that of the alleged perpetrators not one was reported by the Church to secular authorities The commission was told This suggests that it is the practice of the Jehovah s Witness Church to retain information regarding child sexual abuse offences but not to report allegations of child sexual abuse to the police or other relevant authorities 184 185 Officers of the royal commission referred information in relation to 514 alleged perpetrators to police adding that of the remaining 492 alleged perpetrators identified in the case files officers at the Royal Commission determined that there was either insufficient evidence in the case files to warrant referring matters to police or that the matters had already come to the attention of police 186 The royal commission found that it did not consider the Jehovah s Witness organisation to be an organisation which responds adequately to child sexual abuse The organisation s retention and continued application of policies such as the two witness rule in cases of child sexual abuse shows a serious lack of understanding of the nature of child sexual abuse 187 In its final report the royal commission added As long as the Jehovah s Witness organisation continues to rely on a literal interpretation of the Bible and 1st century principles to set practice policy and procedure in its response to allegations of child sexual abuse it will remain an organisation that does not respond adequately to child sexual abuse and that fails to protect children 188 Geelong Grammar School Edit In September and October 2015 the Royal Commission held a public hearing into sexual abuse at the Geelong Grammar School an elite Anglican boarding school for boys which had once counted the then Prince Charles among its students In 2015 2016 the Royal Commission then investigated the allegations brought forth at the hearings and handed down a report published in February 2017 which is available on the internet 189 The report details many incidents of abuse by the school staff between 1956 and 1989 including three Anglican priests three boarding house masters and a live in boarding house assistant p 20 30 One can sense from the testimony of former students that Geelong was a strict authoritarian and regimented place p 21 where sexual abuse was just the tip of the iceberg in terms of what would lead an adolescent boy to despair One complainant said he witnessed repeated physical and psychological abuse in addition to sexual abuse and that there was a code of silence about this at the school all of this left him with a sense of shame helplessness and powerlessness p 29 Three of the sexual abuse cases led in the victims to later struggles with depression suicidal thoughts and attempted suicide p 26 28 31 Five former staff members of the school were convicted of child sex offences p 31 32 Australian Defence Force Edit The Commission held a public hearing to inquire into the experiences of men and women who were sexually abused as children in certain divisions of the Australian Defence Force ADF It also examined the systems policies practices and procedures of the ADF and the ADF Cadets to prevent child sexual abuse and raising and responding to concerns and complaints about child sexual abuse 190 191 On 22 August 2017 the Commission released reports into abuse within the ADF and found that at HMAS Leeuwin the physical and sexual abuse of child recruits was widespread with bastardisation practices that involved a junior recruit being held down while boot polish toothpaste or another substance was forcibly smeared on his genitals or anal area also took place at Leeuwin At The Army Apprentice School Balcombe on the Mornington Peninsula teenage apprentices were severely sexually abused during the 1970s and 1980s The abuse included fondling of genitals forced masturbation anal penetration with an object such as a broomstick and bastardisation practices primarily perpetrated by senior apprentices or staff A 15 year old cadet within the Australian Air Force Cadets in Tasmania committed suicide following the improper handling of an incident of an improper relationship that was instigated by a senior officer 192 193 Reports EditThe federal government requested an initial report from the commission not later than 30 June 2014 as well as a recommendation for the date for the final report not later than 31 December 2015 37 41 On 13 November 2014 Governor General Sir Peter Cosgrove amended the letters patent extending the date for submission of the final report to not later than 15 December 2017 194 An interim report was released on 30 June 2014 and included the personal stories of 150 people who shared their experience of abuse by coming to a private session or providing a written account 195 At that time there were still around 3000 more sessions on a waiting list to be heard 196 In June 2015 the Royal Commission released a report prepared by the Parenting Research Centre that assessed the extent to which 288 recommendations from 67 previous relevant inquiries have been implemented 197 Following the conclusion of each public hearing case study reports were released on findings and recommendations for each of the above mentioned cases 198 Criminal justice report recommendations were published in the final report dated 15 December 2017 199 Outcomes EditOn 22 October 2018 the Prime Minister of Australia Scott Morrison delivered in Parliament House a National Apology Address on behalf of the Australian people 200 The crimes of ritual sexual abuse happened in schools churches youth groups scout troops orphanages foster homes sporting clubs group homes charities and in family homes as well It happened anywhere a predator thought they could get away with it and the systems within these organisations allowed it to happen and turned a blind eye It happened day after day week after week month after month and decade after decade Unrelenting torment When a child spoke up they weren t believed and the crimes continued with impunity One survivor told me that when he told a teacher of his abuse that teacher then became his next abuser Trust broken Innocence betrayed Power and position exploited for evil dark crimes A survivor named Faye told the Royal Commission Nothing takes the memories away It happened 53 years ago and it s still affecting me One survivor named Ann said My mother believed them rather than me I also met with a mother whose two daughters were abused by a priest the family trusted Suicide would claim one of her two beautiful girls and the other lives under the crushing weight of what was done to her We can never promise a world where there are no abusers But we can promise a country where we commit to hear and believe our children I present the formal apology to be tabled in this Parliament today which will be handed to those in the Great Hall shortly It reflects all of the sentiments that I have expressed on behalf of the Australian people this Parliament and our Government Scott Morrison Prime Minister of Australia 22 October 2018 Morrison announced that the federal government had not rejected any recommendations of the royal commission that it was working on 104 of the 122 recommendations that were addressed to the Commonwealth and had established 200 a National Redress Scheme with the support of the states and territories administrations the National Office of Child Safety within the Department of Social Services and a National Centre of Excellence to raise awareness and understanding of the impacts of child sexual abuse to deal with the stigma to support help seeking and guide best practice for training and other services Supreme Court s Institutional Liability List Edit On 8 May 2020 the Victorian Supreme Court established an Institutional Liability List to administer child sex abuse lawsuits 201 The list includes claims for damages arising from the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 201 The Royal Commission s allegations against George Pell and the Roman Catholic Diocese of Ballarat played a role in the creation of the list 201 See also EditChildren in State Care Commission of Inquiry the Mullighan Inquiry a South Australian inquiry that took place from 2004 to 2008References Edit Establishment of Royal Commission into Child Sexual Abuse Prime Minister of Australia 15 November 2012 Archived from the original on 15 November 2012 Retrieved 2 January 2022 a b Gillard Julia 12 November 2012 Establishment of Royal Commission into Child Sexual Abuse Press release Canberra Commonwealth of Australia Archived from the original on 15 November 2012 Retrieved 13 November 2012 a b Child abuse 7 of Australian Catholic priests alleged to be involved BBC News 6 February 2017 Archived from the original on 19 July 2017 Retrieved 1 July 2017 The sex abuse royal commission went to some dark places here is some of what it found Archived 21 December 2017 at the Wayback Machine ABC News Retrieved 21 December 2017 Child abuse scandals faced by Roman Catholic Church The Telegraph United Kingdom 12 March 2010 Archived from the original on 18 January 2012 Retrieved 21 September 2011 a b Donovan Samantha Metherell Lexi 13 November 2012 Victims hail royal commission as bittersweet victory transcript audio and video AM Australia ABC News Archived from the original on 13 November 2012 Retrieved 14 November 2012 1 Establishment of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse Commission Report Report Vol 1 Eire The Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse Archived from the original on 24 May 2009 Retrieved 14 November 2012 Thomas Beatrice Catanzaro Joseph 4 June 2012 Push for wider abuse inquiry The West Australian Archived from the original on 5 January 2013 Retrieved 13 November 2012 Nightingale Tom 26 May 2012 Government accused of secrecy over child abuse figures transcript AM Australia ABC Radio Archived from the original on 9 November 2012 Retrieved 13 November 2012 Forde Inquiry and Redress of past abuse Department of Communities Child Safety and Disability Services Queensland Government August 1999 Archived from the original on 18 November 2012 Retrieved 1 December 2012 Protecting Victoria s Vulnerable Children Inquiry Report Archived 4 October 2013 at the Wayback Machine a b Inquiry into the handling of child abuse by religious and other organisations PDF Family and Community Development Committee Parliament of Victoria July 2012 Archived PDF from the original on 4 October 2013 Retrieved 13 November 2012 McKenzie Nick Baker Richard Lee Jane 13 April 2012 Church s suicide victims Canberra Times Archived from the original on 13 June 2012 Retrieved 2 July 2012 Lee Jane Zwartz Barney 11 October 2012 Police slam Catholic Church The Age Australia Archived from the original on 13 November 2012 Retrieved 13 November 2012 Zwartz Barney 9 February 2012 Victims of clergy push for inquiry The Age Australia Archived from the original on 10 February 2012 Retrieved 13 November 2012 Fitzsimmons Hamish 2 March 2012 Church abuse victims demand Royal Commission transcript Lateline Australia ABC News Archived from the original on 27 November 2012 Retrieved 13 November 2012 Courtin Judy 14 April 2012 The truth deserves a commission The Sydney Morning Herald Archived from the original on 10 May 2012 Retrieved 13 November 2012 Short Michael 25 June 2012 Hell on Earth The Sydney Morning Herald Archived from the original on 28 August 2012 Retrieved 13 November 2012 Too much pain Wife fears for husband abused as a boy by priest 26 July 2012 Archived from the original on 10 August 2021 Retrieved 10 August 2021 They don t really get it Apology appreciated but it won t change anything for John s family 19 October 2018 Archived from the original on 10 August 2021 Retrieved 10 August 2021 Farr Malcolm Shepherd Tory 12 November 2012 Tony Abbott supports royal commission into child sex abuse The Australian Retrieved 13 November 2012 Peter Fox quits the force 19 November 2014 Archived from the original on 10 August 2021 Retrieved 10 August 2021 Ansari Tahmina 29 May 2014 Inquiry finds child abuse whistleblower not credible ABC News Archived from the original on 10 August 2021 Retrieved 10 August 2021 O Farrell Barry 9 November 2012 Special Commission of Inquiry PDF Press release Government of New South Wales Archived PDF from the original on 9 April 2013 Retrieved 13 November 2012 NSW church child abuse inquiry approaches heart of the matter TheGuardian com July 2013 Archived from the original on 10 August 2021 Retrieved 10 August 2021 Ansari Tahmina 30 May 2014 Inquiry finds child abuse whistleblower not credible ABC News Archived from the original on 10 August 2021 Retrieved 10 August 2021 Peter Fox was obsessed says senior cop 26 June 2013 Archived from the original on 10 August 2021 Retrieved 10 August 2021 Subscribe to the Australian Newspaper home delivery website iPad iPhone amp Android apps Inquiry into child sexual abuse allegations in the Catholic Diocese of Maitland Newcastle Premier amp Cabinet Archived from the original on 10 August 2021 Retrieved 10 August 2021 McGregor Ken 12 November 2012 Pressure mounts for Royal Commission into sex abuse within the Catholic Church The Australian AAP Archived from the original on 12 November 2012 Retrieved 13 November 2012 Roxon Nicola O Connor Brendan 19 November 2012 Release of consultation paper on the Royal Commission into Child Abuse Attorney General s Department Press release Commonwealth of Australia Archived from the original on 3 December 2012 Retrieved 20 November 2012 Consultation Paper on the Establishment of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse PDF Royal Commission into Child Sexual Abuse Commonwealth of Australia 19 November 2012 Retrieved 20 November 2012 permanent dead link a b Pell accuses press of exaggerating Catholic abuse Australian Broadcasting Corporation 13 November 2012 Archived from the original on 10 August 2021 Retrieved 10 August 2021 Drape Julian 13 November 2012 Abuse inquiry to run as long as it takes The Australian AAP Archived from the original on 23 May 2013 Retrieved 13 November 2012 Pell calls for the facts not fiction 13 November 2012 Archived from the original on 10 August 2021 Retrieved 10 August 2021 Pell an embarrassment says retired bishop 15 November 2012 Archived from the original on 10 August 2021 Retrieved 10 August 2021 a b c d Letters Patent Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Archived from the original on 22 August 2013 Retrieved 12 January 2013 Fitzgerald Robert 2018 Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Lessons and learnings for the People of God Journal of the Australian Catholic Historical Society 39 171 190 Hyland Anne 23 December 2022 From brickie s labourer to Supreme Court judge Peter McClellan s extraordinary career The Sydney Morning Herald Retrieved 23 December 2022 W Prof Helen Milroy The University of Western Australia UWA Staff Profile Archived from the original on 2 January 2013 Retrieved 12 January 2013 a b Supreme Court judge to head abuse royal commission ABC News Australia 11 January 2013 Archived from the original on 12 January 2013 Greens back McClellan appointment Herald Sun 11 January 2013 Archived from the original on 12 December 2013 Retrieved 11 January 2013 Oakes Dan Oriti Thomas 27 May 2014 Janette Dines resignation Chief executive of royal commission into child sexual abuse steps down ABC News Australia Archived from the original on 27 May 2014 Retrieved 27 May 2014 Anderson Stephanie 27 May 2014 CEO of Royal Commission resigns SBS World News Australia Archived from the original on 27 May 2014 Retrieved 27 May 2014 Royal Commissions Act 1902 Cth pt 2 Archived from the original on 25 September 2015 Retrieved 5 March 2016 Royal Commissions Act 2013 Cth pt 4 Archived from the original on 7 March 2016 Retrieved 5 March 2016 ROYAL COMMISSIONS ACT 1902 SECT 2 Power to summon witnesses and take evidence Austlii edu au Archived from the original on 3 February 2014 Retrieved 23 January 2014 ROYAL COMMISSIONS ACT 1902 SECT 3 Failure of witnesses to attend or produce documents Austlii edu au Archived from the original on 3 February 2014 Retrieved 23 January 2014 ROYAL COMMISSIONS ACT 1902 SECT 4 Search warrants Austlii edu au Archived from the original on 3 February 2014 Retrieved 23 January 2014 Legal advisory service launched for Royal Commission witnesses transcript PM Australia ABC Radio 16 July 2013 Archived from the original on 3 February 2014 Retrieved 29 January 2014 Tell us your story Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2013 Archived from the original on 3 February 2014 Retrieved 29 January 2014 Issues Papers amp Submissions Child Abuse Royal Commission Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Archived from the original on 29 September 2016 Retrieved 28 September 2016 Page with list of issues papers and submissions with links to lists of public submissions and the issues papers themselves a b View submissions to Issues Paper 1 Working with Children Check Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2013 Archived from the original on 27 September 2021 Retrieved 29 January 2014 a b View submissions to Issues Paper 2 Towards Healing Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2013 Archived from the original on 27 September 2021 Retrieved 29 January 2014 a b View submissions to Issues Paper 3 Child Safe Institutions Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2013 Retrieved 29 January 2014 permanent dead link a b View submissions to Issues Paper 4 Sexual Abuse of Children in Out of Home Care Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2013 Archived from the original on 27 September 2021 Retrieved 29 January 2014 a b View submissions to Issues Paper 5 Civil Litigation Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2014 Archived from the original on 27 September 2021 Retrieved 5 May 2014 a b Submissions for Issues paper 6 Redress schemes Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2014 Archived from the original on 27 September 2021 Retrieved 15 May 2015 a b Submissions for Issues paper 7 Statutory victims of crime compensation schemes Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2014 Archived from the original on 27 September 2021 Retrieved 15 May 2015 Submissions for Issues paper 8 Experience of police and prosecution responses Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2015 Archived from the original on 12 March 2016 Retrieved 12 March 2016 Submissions for Issues paper 9 Risk of child sexual abuse in schools Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2015 Archived from the original on 12 March 2016 Retrieved 12 March 2016 Submissions for Issues paper 10 Advocacy and Support and Therapeutic Treatment Services Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2015 Archived from the original on 14 March 2016 Retrieved 12 March 2016 Submissions for Issues Paper 11 Catholic Church Final Hearing Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2015 Archived from the original on 27 September 2021 Retrieved 28 September 2016 Presented by Andrea Lockhart Senior Counsellor advocate Ballarat Centre Against Sexual Assault CASA in consultation with the Ballarat CASA men s support group Ballarat survivors group Response to redress and civil litigation consultation paper PDF Royal Commission Archived PDF from the original on 30 December 2017 a href Template Cite web html title Template Cite web cite web a CS1 maint multiple names authors list link Blenkiron Peter Royal Commission Submission from the Ballarat Survivors Group Paper 6 Redress Schemes PDF Royal Commission Archived PDF from the original on 30 December 2017 Announcement of Chair and CEO of the Catholic Church Council for the Royal Commission Press release Australian Catholic Bishops Conference 12 December 2012 Archived from the original on 28 January 2016 Retrieved 16 May 2015 Murphy Damien 26 April 2014 Former ICAC chief Barry O Keefe dies aged 80 Sydney Morning Herald Archived from the original on 3 June 2014 Retrieved 22 May 2014 The Hon Neville Owen The Truth Justice and Healing Council 2014 Archived from the original on 27 May 2015 Retrieved 15 May 2015 Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Web site Links to case studies Archived 14 June 2016 at the Wayback Machine Case Study 1 September 2013 Sydney Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2013 Archived from the original on 7 May 2015 Retrieved 16 May 2015 Case Study 2 October 2013 Sydney Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2013 Archived from the original on 23 April 2015 Retrieved 16 May 2015 Case Study 3 November 2013 Sydney Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2013 Archived from the original on 23 April 2015 Retrieved 16 May 2015 Case Study 4 December 2013 Sydney Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2014 Archived from the original on 16 May 2015 Retrieved 16 May 2015 Case Study 5 January 2014 Sydney Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2014 Archived from the original on 27 May 2015 Retrieved 16 May 2015 Case Study 6 February 2014 Brisbane Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2014 Archived from the original on 16 May 2015 Retrieved 16 May 2015 Case Study 7 February 2014 Sydney Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2014 Archived from the original on 23 April 2015 Retrieved 16 May 2015 Case Study 8 March 2014 Sydney Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2014 Archived from the original on 16 May 2015 Retrieved 16 May 2015 Case Study 9 March 2014 Adelaide Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2014 Archived from the original on 23 April 2015 Retrieved 16 May 2015 Case Study 10 March 2014 Sydney Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2014 Archived from the original on 23 April 2015 Retrieved 16 May 2015 Case Study 11 April 2014 Perth Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2014 Archived from the original on 23 April 2015 Retrieved 16 May 2015 Case Study 12 May 2014 Perth Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2014 Archived from the original on 23 April 2015 Retrieved 16 May 2015 Case Study 13 June 2014 Canberra Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2014 Archived from the original on 21 May 2015 Retrieved 16 May 2015 Case Study 14 June 2014 Sydney Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2014 Archived from the original on 16 May 2015 Retrieved 16 May 2015 Case Study 15 July 2014 Sydney Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2014 Archived from the original on 16 March 2015 Retrieved 16 May 2015 Case Study 16 August 2014 Melbourne Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2014 Archived from the original on 18 April 2015 Retrieved 16 May 2015 Case Study 17 September 2014 Darwin Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2014 Archived from the original on 23 April 2015 Retrieved 16 May 2015 Case Study 18 October 2014 Sydney Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2014 Archived from the original on 23 April 2015 Retrieved 16 May 2015 Case Study 19 October 2014 Sydney Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2014 Archived from the original on 23 April 2015 Retrieved 16 May 2015 Case Study 20 November 2014 Hobart Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2014 Archived from the original on 23 April 2015 Retrieved 16 May 2015 Case Study 21 Sydney Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2015 Archived from the original on 30 May 2015 Retrieved 16 May 2015 Case Study 22 February 2015 Melbourne Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2015 Archived from the original on 22 May 2015 Retrieved 16 May 2015 a b c Case Study 23 February 2015 Sydney Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2015 Archived from the original on 2 May 2015 Retrieved 16 May 2015 Case Study 24 March 2015 Sydney Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2015 Archived from the original on 7 May 2015 Retrieved 16 May 2015 Case Study 25 March 2015 Sydney Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2015 Archived from the original on 22 May 2015 Retrieved 16 May 2015 Case Study 26 April 2015 Rockhampton Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2015 Archived from the original on 22 May 2015 Retrieved 16 May 2015 Case Study 27 May 2015 Sydney Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2015 Archived from the original on 10 May 2015 Retrieved 16 May 2015 a b Case Study 28 May 2015 Ballarat Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2016 Archived from the original on 12 March 2016 Retrieved 12 March 2016 Franklin J 2015 Gerald Ridsdale pedophile priest in his own words PDF Journal of the Australian Catholic Historical Society 36 219 230 a b Cardinal George Pell too ill to travel from Rome for child sex abuse inquiry ABC News 5 February 2016 Archived from the original on 17 February 2016 Retrieved 17 February 2016 a b George Pell excused from giving evidence at child sexual abuse royal commission in person ABC News 8 February 2016 Archived from the original on 16 February 2016 Retrieved 17 February 2016 a b At the scene George Pell leaves abuse survivors unconvinced after first royal commission hearing ABC News 29 February 2016 Archived from the original on 29 February 2016 Retrieved 29 February 2016 Case Study 29 July 2015 Sydney Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2015 Archived from the original on 18 August 2015 Retrieved 12 August 2015 Case Study 30 August 2015 Melbourne Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2015 Archived from the original on 7 March 2016 Retrieved 12 March 2016 Case Study 31 August 2015 Sydney Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2015 Archived from the original on 7 March 2016 Retrieved 12 March 2016 Case Study 32 September 2015 Melbourne and Sydney Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2015 Archived from the original on 7 March 2016 Retrieved 12 March 2016 Case Study 33 October 2015 Adelaide Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2015 Archived from the original on 7 March 2016 Retrieved 12 March 2016 Case Study 34 November 2015 Brisbane Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2015 Archived from the original on 7 March 2016 Retrieved 12 March 2016 Case Study 35 November 2015 Melbourne Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2016 Archived from the original on 7 March 2016 Retrieved 12 March 2016 Case Study 36 January 2016 Hobart Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2016 Archived from the original on 7 March 2016 Retrieved 12 March 2016 Case Study 37 March 2016 Sydney Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2016 Archived from the original on 12 March 2016 Retrieved 12 March 2016 Case Study 38 March 2016 Sydney Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2016 Archived from the original on 12 March 2016 Retrieved 12 March 2016 Case Study 39 April 2016 Sydney Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2016 Archived from the original on 20 December 2016 Retrieved 10 December 2016 Case Study 40 August 2016 Sydney Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2016 Archived from the original on 20 December 2016 Retrieved 10 December 2016 Case Study 41 July 2016 Sydney Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2016 Archived from the original on 20 December 2016 Retrieved 10 December 2016 Case Study 42 August and November 2016 Newcastle and Sydney Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2016 Archived from the original on 19 December 2016 Retrieved 10 December 2016 Case Study 43 August 2016 Newcastle Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2016 Archived from the original on 20 December 2016 Retrieved 10 December 2016 Case Study 44 September 2016 Sydney Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2016 Archived from the original on 20 December 2016 Retrieved 10 December 2016 Case Study 45 October 2016 Sydney Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2016 Archived from the original on 18 December 2016 Retrieved 10 December 2016 Case Study 46 November 2016 Sydney Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2016 Archived from the original on 20 December 2016 Retrieved 10 December 2016 Case Study 47 December 2016 Sydney Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2016 Archived from the original on 10 December 2016 Retrieved 10 December 2016 Case Study 48 December 2016 Sydney Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2016 Archived from the original on 20 December 2016 Retrieved 10 December 2016 Case Study 49 December 2016 Sydney Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2016 Archived from the original on 6 December 2016 Retrieved 10 December 2016 Wells Jamelle Armitage Rebecca 20 September 2013 Paedophile Steven Larkins got welfare agency job two months before police checks were introduced royal commission told ABC News Australia Archived from the original on 12 February 2014 Retrieved 5 February 2014 Wells Jamelle 20 September 2013 Paedophile s former colleague didn t believe child sexual abuse rumours royal commission hears ABC News Australia Archived from the original on 25 January 2014 Retrieved 5 February 2014 Wells Jamelle Armitage Rebecca 20 September 2013 Royal commission told Scouts failed abused children kept file on paedophile leader Steven Larkins ABC News Australia Archived from the original on 22 January 2014 Retrieved 5 February 2014 Report of Case Study No 1 PDF Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse PDF Commonwealth of Australia March 2014 pp 1 57 ISBN 978 1 925118 12 4 Archived PDF from the original on 5 May 2014 Retrieved 5 May 2014 Child abuse inquiry reopens in Sydney Herald Sun AAP 20 January 2014 Retrieved 5 February 2014 permanent dead link a b McDonald Philippa Armitage Rebecca 21 October 2013 Royal commission into child sexual abuse to examine YMCA including response to paedophile Jonathan Lord ABC News Australia Archived from the original on 25 January 2014 Retrieved 5 February 2014 a b Armitage Catherine 31 January 2014 Department imposes strict childcare conditions on YMCA NSW The Sydney Morning Herald Archived from the original on 1 February 2014 Retrieved 5 February 2014 Oriti Thomas 21 January 2014 NSW YMCA denies claims of failure over childcare worker who abused boys ABC News Australia Archived from the original on 29 January 2014 Retrieved 5 February 2014 Partridge Emma 18 January 2013 Lord to serve minimum six years jail for child sexual assaults St George and Sutherland Shire Leader Archived from the original on 2 April 2015 Retrieved 2 March 2015 YMCA NSW s response to the conduct of Jonathan Lord PDF 1 ed Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse June 2014 p 17 ISBN 978 1 925118 19 3 Archived from the original on 2 April 2015 Retrieved 2 March 2015 On 18 January 2013 Lord was sentenced to 10 years in prison with a non parole period of 6 years After plea bargaining he was sentenced for 13 offences involving 12 children of the Roman Catholic Church v Ellis amp ANOR 2007 NSWCA 117 24 May 2007 Court of Appeal NSW Australia Amber Louise s story Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sex Abuse 23 October 2017 Archived from the original on 11 April 2020 Retrieved 11 April 2020 a b Oriti Thomas Bourke Emily 3 February 2014 Salvation Army whistleblowers dismissed from Indooroopilly Qld home for reporting alleged abuse royal commission hears PM Australia ABC News Archived from the original on 4 February 2014 Retrieved 4 February 2014 Salvation Army in disbelief over abuse complaints inquiry hears The Australian AAP 4 February 2014 Archived from the original on 1 March 2014 Retrieved 5 February 2014 a b Oriti Thomas 4 February 2014 Salvation Army officers allegedly moved interstate if accused of child sex abuse ABC News Australia Archived from the original on 4 February 2014 Retrieved 5 February 2014 Oriti Thomas 31 January 2014 Salvation Army suspends officer John McIver over child sexual abuse royal commission ABC News Australia Archived from the original on 5 February 2014 Retrieved 5 February 2014 Thrower Louise 5 February 2014 Royal Commission Torture and rape at Gill Memorial Goulburn Post Archived from the original on 4 February 2014 Retrieved 5 February 2014 Yoga ashram didn t consider sex abuse a crime royal commission told Guardian Australia AAP 4 December 2014 Archived from the original on 7 February 2017 Australian Associated Press 2 December 2014 Ashram apologises to child sexual abuse victims it threatened to sue The Guardian Retrieved 13 March 2022 Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse April 2016 Report of Case Study No 21 PDF p 8 a b Marr David 18 February 2015 Rabbis absolute power how sex abuse tore apart Australia s Orthodox Jewish community The Guardian Archived from the original on 28 January 2016 Retrieved 7 January 2016 a b Case Study 22 February 2015 Melbourne Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 2 February 2015 Archived from the original on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 7 January 2016 Australian Chabad Rabbi Resigns Over Sex Abuse Scandal Forward 1 September 2015 Archived from the original on 27 January 2016 Retrieved 7 January 2016 Levi Joshua 18 June 2015 All change at the Yeshivah Centre Australian Jewish News Archived from the original on 4 March 2016 Retrieved 7 January 2016 a b Goldberg Dan 10 February 2015 Australian Jews Distraught Over Chabad Sex Abuse Hearings Haaretz Archived from the original on 29 January 2016 Retrieved 7 January 2016 Rabbi Moshe Gutnick tells Royal Commission into child sex abuse that Jews must report sex abuse Archived 3 May 2016 at the Wayback Machine The Age 5 Feb 2015 In national abuse probe leading Australian rabbi decries Orthodox community s cover up culture Archived 14 September 2015 at the Wayback Machine The Jerusalem Post 4 February 2015 Bibby Paul 22 January 2015 Royal Commission to publicly examine Sydney private school Knox Grammar over child sexual abuse The Sydney Morning Herald Archived from the original on 25 January 2015 Retrieved 2 March 2015 Higgins Ean Arrest warrant issued for former Knox teacher Christopher Fotis The Australian No 26 February 2015 AAP Archived from the original on 13 June 2015 Retrieved 2 March 2015 In the wake of Mr Fotis failure to answer the summons issued on him by the Royal Commission the Royal Commission has issued a warrant for his arrest Mr David Lloyd counsel assisting the Royal Commission Knox Grammar Royal Commission Former headmaster Ian Paterson admits to hindering police investigation into paedophile ring Daily Telegraph 4 March 2015 Retrieved 17 May 2015 a b c Knox to rename ethics centre after royal commission into child sex abuse North Shore Times AAP 6 March 2015 Retrieved 7 March 2015 Former Knox headmaster gave glowing reference to teacher with child sex convictions inquiry told North Shore Times 4 March 2015 Retrieved 7 March 2015 Royal commission into sex abuse Knox Grammar headmaster Ian Paterson did not realise groping was a crime Sydney Morning Herald 3 March 2015 Archived from the original on 15 March 2015 Higgins Ean 2 March 2015 Knox Grammar Master quit over suspected pedophile s appointment The Australian Retrieved 7 March 2015 Higgins Ean 6 March 2015 Knox headmaster insists he informed police The Australian Retrieved 7 March 2015 a b c Gemma Choy 6 December 2017 Report into Catholic Church authorities in Ballarat released Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Archived from the original on 16 December 2017 Retrieved 16 December 2017 Commonwealth of Australia December 2017 Final Report Volume 16 Religious institutions Book 2 PDF Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse p 106 Archived PDF from the original on 22 December 2017 Cunningham Melissa 15 December 2017 Do ask do tell Commission calls for mandatory reporting of child sex abuse The Sydney Morning Herald Archived from the original on 16 December 2017 Retrieved 18 December 2017 Final Report Volume 16 Religious institutions Book 1 PDF Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse p 73 Archived PDF from the original on 22 December 2017 Williams Jacqueline 14 December 2017 Australia and Catholic Church Failed Abused Children Inquiry Finds The New York Times ISSN 0362 4331 Archived from the original on 17 December 2017 Retrieved 17 December 2017 Catholic leaders reject royal commission s key recommendations ABC News 15 December 2017 Archived from the original on 17 December 2017 Retrieved 17 December 2017 Wrigley Brendan 6 December 2017 We failed and we are sorry church responds to scathing report The Courier Archived from the original on 16 December 2017 Retrieved 16 December 2017 Wrigley Brendan 5 December 2017 Royal Commission slams former Ballarat Bishop in Melbourne report The Courier Archived from the original on 16 December 2017 Retrieved 16 December 2017 a b Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Catholic Church authorities in Ballarat Report of Case Study No 28 PDF Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Archived PDF from the original on 22 December 2017 a b Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Catholic Church authorities in Ballarat Report of Case Study No 28 PDF Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse pp 433 436 Archived PDF from the original on 22 December 2017 Deery Shannon 6 December 2017 Royal Commission finds abuse of children a catastrophic institutional failure of the Catholic Church Herald Sun Archived from the original on 2 May 2019 Retrieved 21 December 2017 Paedophile Christian Brother s inadequate jail term increased after appeal ABC News 18 September 2015 Archived from the original on 7 December 2016 Retrieved 17 December 2017 Diocese of Ballarat failed to act in the interests of abused children for decades Royal Commission reports says The Catholic Leader catholicleader com au 6 December 2017 Archived from the original on 22 December 2017 Retrieved 17 December 2017 a b Commonwealth of Australia November 2017 Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse s report into Case Study 28 Catholic Church authorities in Ballarat PDF p 32 Archived PDF from the original on 22 December 2017 Neil Wrigley Megan Brendan 12 December 2017 Royal Commission finds inexcusable failures in Ballarat Catholic Church s treatment of abuse victims The Age Archived from the original on 22 December 2017 Gemma Choy 6 December 2017 Report into Catholic Church authorities in Ballarat released Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Archived from the original on 16 December 2017 Retrieved 17 December 2017 Chris Johnston 22 February 2016 Christian Brother gyrated against me Catholic sexual abuse victim The Age Victoria Archived from the original on 26 March 2016 Retrieved 17 March 2016 Christian Brothers abused 850 children Skynews com 22 February 2016 Archived from the original on 29 March 2016 Retrieved 17 March 2016 Johnston Chris 25 February 2016 Christian Brothers hired private investigator to dig dirt on abuse victims The Age Archived from the original on 16 December 2017 Retrieved 16 December 2017 Christian Brother authorised funding for investigator to track abuse victims ABC News 24 February 2016 Archived from the original on 30 October 2016 Retrieved 16 December 2017 Glynis McNeight Glynis Report from Glynis McNeight to Doyle Considine Lawyers re Brother Dowlan PDF Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Archived PDF from the original on 16 December 2017 Cunningham Melissa 24 February 2016 Investigator tracked down Dowlan sex abuse victims The Courier Archived from the original on 16 December 2017 Retrieved 16 December 2017 Brothers handling of abuse indefensible 3 May 2013 Retrieved 16 December 2017 HENDERSON FIONA 3 May 2013 Abuse inquiry Christian Brothers paid 1 million to defend Best The Courier Archived from the original on 16 December 2017 Retrieved 16 December 2017 Common institutional responses to child sexual abuse across religious institutions 15 August 2017 Archived from the original on 26 February 2021 Retrieved 17 February 2021 Institutional responses to child sexual abuse in the Jehovah s Witnesses 15 August 2017 Archived from the original on 26 February 2021 Retrieved 17 February 2021 Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse summary of Case Study 29 into Jehovah s Witnesses and Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Australia Ltd 27 July 2015 Archived from the original on 20 November 2017 Retrieved 17 February 2021 Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse opening submissions Case 29 Archived from the original on 18 June 2017 Retrieved 17 February 2021 Australia Royal Commission into Child Sexual Abuse Submissions of Senior Counsel Child Abuse Royal Commission March 2017 p 12 Archived from the original on 22 September 2017 Retrieved 5 October 2017 Report of Case Study No 29 The response of the Jehovah s Witnesses and Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of Australia Ltd to allegations of child sexual abuse PDF Report Commonwealth of Australia 2016 p 77 Archived PDF from the original on 12 December 2020 Retrieved 17 February 2021 Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Religious institutions Final Report Commonwealth of Australia 15 August 2017 Archived from the original on 26 February 2021 Retrieved 17 February 2021 Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Report of Case Study no 32 The response of Geelong Grammar School to allegations of child sexual abuse of former students Archived 3 November 2020 at the Wayback Machine published December 2016 Case Study 40 August 2016 Sydney Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse August 2016 Archived from the original on 22 August 2017 Retrieved 22 August 2017 McDonald Philippa Oriti Thomas 20 June 2016 Royal commission examining child sexual abuse in ADF ABC News Australia Archived from the original on 26 July 2016 Retrieved 27 July 2016 Report into the Australian Defence Force released Press release Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 22 August 2017 Archived from the original on 22 August 2017 Retrieved 22 August 2017 Weber David Lord Kathy 22 August 2017 Royal Commission finds widespread abuse of HMAS Leeuwin recruits in Fremantle ABC News Australia Archived from the original on 23 August 2017 Retrieved 22 August 2017 Cosgrove Sir Peter 13 November 2014 Amendment to Letters Patent Terms of Reference Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Archived from the original on 26 February 2015 Retrieved 2 March 2015 amend Our Letters Patent to require you to submit to Our Governor General a report of the results of your inquiry and your recommendations not later than 15 December 2017 Interim Report released on 30 June 2014 About us Our reports Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 30 June 2014 Archived from the original on 18 March 2015 Retrieved 2 March 2015 PDF versions Volume 1 Archived 27 September 2021 at the Wayback Machine ISBN 978 1 925118 26 1 455 kB amp Volume 2 Archived 1 August 2014 at the Wayback Machine ISBN 978 1 925118 28 5 209 kB Royal commission into child sex abuse releases interim report calls for extension and more funds ABC 30 June 2014 Archived from the original on 27 January 2015 Retrieved 29 May 2015 Royal Commission releases implementation report Press release Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse 1 June 2015 Archived from the original on 19 September 2015 Retrieved 14 June 2015 Case Study Reports Public Hearing Findings Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Archived from the original on 27 November 2014 Retrieved 20 December 2014 Jason Setchell 16 August 2017 Recommendations Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Archived from the original on 22 December 2017 Retrieved 20 December 2017 a b Morrison Scott 22 October 2018 National Apology Address Speech Parliament of Australia Canberra Prime Minister of Australia Archived from the original on 22 September 2019 Retrieved 22 September 2019 a b c Tomazin Farrah 8 May 2020 Catholic Church s legal deluge compounded by damning Pell findings The Sydney Morning Herald Archived from the original on 9 May 2020 Retrieved 9 May 2020 Further reading EditParkinson Patrick 24 October 2013 Child sexual abuse and the churches A story of moral failure PDF Speech The Smith Lecture 2013 Sydney City Bible Forum Archived from the original PDF transcript on 6 March 2014 Retrieved 5 February 2014 External links Edit Australia portalRoyal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse website Report of Case Study No 1 PDF Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse PDF Commonwealth of Australia March 2014 pp 1 57 ISBN 978 1 925118 12 4 Royal Commission Pledge Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse amp oldid 1144033108, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

article

, read, download, free, free download, mp3, video, mp4, 3gp, jpg, jpeg, gif, png, picture, music, song, movie, book, game, games.