Child Sex-Assault Victims Put Church on Official Notice in Australia

A group helps victims pick up the pieces of their lives, heal and move forward.

Survivors of Clergy abuse in Australia, to learn more visit: survivorsaustralia.org

(SYDNEY, Aust.) - Australian victims of child sexual abuse by Catholic priests and brothers today announced the official launch of Survivors of Clergy Abuse Australia (SCAA) with a candlelight vigil scheduled to be held at the Archibald Fountain in Hyde Park, Sydney at 5.30pm on Friday 18th July.

SCAA is a national survivors’ support and lobby group determined to put a stop to the Catholic Church cover-up of child sexual abuse.

“SCAA’s aims are to help victims recover, to prevent children being exposed to church protected abusers, and to hold sexual predators and the organisations that enable them responsible for the harm they inflict accountable,” stated SCAA spokesperson Nicky Davis. SCAA is an independent, non-profit organization, with no connections with any church or church officials. While those involved in setting up SCAA are all Catholic victims (or families of victims), the group will also help victims from other denominations.

“The issues of abuse of power, secrecy, protecting criminals at the expense of children’s safety, and covering up crimes against children are common to most religions,” Davis said.

In Australia, the SCAA website at survivorsaustralia.org will be used extensively to help victims successfully complete the difficult journey towards becoming survivors by providing knowledge, advice, assistance and support to victims, no matter where in Australia they live. Whilst SCAA is still in its infancy, this group of very determined survivors have already put serious wheels in motion, garnering support from politicians, public figures, the media and the general public.

According to Davis, “We understand we will need all the help we can get to take on the might of the obscenely wealthy, manipulative Catholic Church.” She continues, “Our biggest problem is the fact that the Catholic Church has always demanded they be treated as above the law, by police, by courts and by lawmakers.

In NSW alone the Catholic Church is exempted from mandatory reporting of child abuse, protected by the statute of limitations, and cannot be sued because of an outrageous special interest law passed in 1936.” Page 2 of 3 MEDIA RELEASE SCAA will lobby for and provide input into the development of more "survivor-friendly" laws, hoping to reduce the triple whammy effect that currently denies victims justice.

According to Davis, “Victims are blocked from suing the Church in the civil courts, stripped of all their rights by the Church’s incredibly abusive internal system, Towards Healing, and raped all over again by a court system riddled with loopholes and biased in favour of sexual predators.” It is also SCAA’s intention to expose the Catholic Church’s bullying tactics, and callous attitude towards survivors for exactly what it is “A despicable act of inhumanity and immorality”, according to Davis.

“By joining together the voices of victims that were previously isolated and ignored, SCAA intends to deliver a powerful lesson to religious organisations that neglect their duty of care to children.” “Until recently the Catholic Church in Australia managed to keep those affected by the abusive behaviour of priests and other clergy terrified, shamed, intimidated or traumatised into silence.

But now, encouraged by growing support from the general public, the media, the police and justice system, and even some good Catholics, victims are finding the strength to speak up about their private pain.” Nicky Davis continues, “Our most powerful tool is to rip away the shroud of secrecy behind which the Catholic Church is hiding. Once the full extent of the problem is known, and the light of truth finally shines into all the dark corners of this tragic situation, we will be able to help ensure that in future generations, children will be safe and survivors will receive the care they require.” [ “Today popes, cardinals and bishops are working harder than ever at public relations, but fundamentally, they still protect their secrets, their assets and their reputations more than they protect kids. They claim to have learned from past mistakes, but unfortunately they have not learned nearly enough.”

“Of course, it is very hard to learn when you steadfastly refuse to consider all sides of the situation. Victims have never been consulted by church leaders when deciding how to deal with this issue, victim’s stories are not even included in the church’s internal deliberations on the guilt of an abuser, and the vast amount of first-hand knowledge victims can offer about how to recover from or prevent abuse is dismissed and ignored.”

Page 3 of 3 MEDIA RELEASE SCAA believes there is a deeply-rooted systemic flaw in the governance of the Church, which will not be remedied by pious statements, carefully crafted apologies, or empty promises. “SCAA is determined to keep the pressure on until the Catholic Church, and other religious organisations realise they are not above the law, finally accept their responsibility and do the right thing. And that means action. Not talking about taking action. Not pretending to take action. And definitely not claiming credit for action when nothing has changed.”

“We are officially putting churches on notice. The days of them being able to manipulate their size, wealth and power, to hide their assets and legal responsibilities behind a web of trusts and fake structures, and to obstruct and evade justice are over.” “This generation will not blindly sacrifice their children on the altar of maintaining good social standing in the Church like so many of my parents’ generation did,” vehemently stated Nicky Davis.

“Once the full truth is known there is no way the Catholic Church will be able to continue to comprehensively deny justice to victims of their abuses.” SCAA urges victims of clerical sexual abuse or the families and friends of victims to visit the SCAA website at survivorsaustralia.org to confidentially access resources, information and news.

We are always happy to hear from victims in need of help to pick up the pieces of their lives, heal and move forward. Anyone in urgent need of telephone counselling can also contact ASCA (Adult Survivors of Child Abuse) on 1300 657 380.

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