Church slammed in sex abuse inquiry
By Peta Carlyon, ABC
Updated October 19, 2012, 9:26 pm
Police attack church's handling of abuse complaints
A senior Victorian police officer has given damning evidence about the Catholic Church's handling of alleged cases of child abuse within its ranks.
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The state's parliamentary inquiry into abuse within religious organisations begun long-awaited public hearings in Melbourne today.
The police force has been scathing in its submission to the inquiry, accusing the church of a long-term, systematic cover-up.
As the first major witness to front the inquiry, Deputy Commissioner Graham Ashton did not waste words.
"Victoria Police has concerns that existing protocols within religious organisations may be more focused on internal church issues such as legal liability and public relations rather than long-term interest of victims," he said.
"The existing processes, in the view of Victoria Police, lacked transparency, independence, oversight, offender rehabilitation and criminal justice."
Speaking to a packed hearing room at Parliament House that included many victims of abuse, Mr Ashton accused the church of taking elaborate measures to avoid the criminal justice system.
"Examples of historic activities include transferring alleged offenders to other parishes or schools within Victoria, interstate or overseas, permitting international trips to undergo spiritual formation amidst child sexual abuse allegations."
The police submission is the result of extensive evidence dating back to the 1950s.
Mr Ashton says Victoria Police has not received a single referral from the church.
e told the inquiry there was no escaping the impact of the abuse on victims.
"A clear correlation between child sexual abuse victims involving the Catholic Church in Victoria and adverse social and psychological impacts is evident," he said.
"A number of victims were identified to suffer from depression and had experienced nervous breakdowns.
Adult impacts also include behavioural, relationship and mental health problems, drug and alcohol abuse, suicide and consequential offending."
Mr Ashton says almost one-third of known victims of child sex abuse in Victoria have gone on to offend.
He says the church must take responsibility.
"The Catholic Church in particular has indicated that its practices and protocols have changed and the issues identified in the submission to this inquiry are no longer of concern," he said.
"If the Catholic Church is serious about changing its practices and its culture, it should be proactively reporting offences to the state rather than waiting for victims to come forward."
Naivety of paedophilia
But the church has described the submission by Victoria Police as being seriously misconceived.
It has denied the church's actions were deliberate and says they resulted from a naivety of paedophilia.
The parliamentary inquiry has received hundreds of submissions from victims, support agencies, legal experts and religious organisations.
Committee chair Georgie Crozier says the inquiry's powers are broad and far-reaching.
"The committee has the same or equivalent powers and privileges of a court, judicial enquiry or royal commission," she said.
"It has the power to call for any witnesses to come before the inquiry to produce any and all documents and to answer questions relevant to the terms of reference."
Helen Last, the founder and director of victims advocacy group In Good Faith, has been working for 26 years with victims and their families.
"We certainly see this as such a significant day," she said.
"It is very historical, and of course we are really hoping that the submissions today really support the victims, support their experiences in life and support their needs to have a better future."
Ms Last says there is no doubt the inquiry's public hearings will dredge up some difficult memories.
She is urging victims to remember they are not alone.
"I'm just here at the moment in the foyer of Parliament House and there is a number of women here who are victims of abuse in institutions and they are already sharing their stories and feeling quite sensitive and upset about it," she said.
The hearings are continuing.
Video: http://au.news.yahoo.com/latest/a/-/latest/15162318/police-attack-churchs-handling-of-abuse-complaints/
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