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| Australia Gripped by Decades of Sexual Abuse of Children, Panel Finds | Australia Gripped by Decades of Sexual Abuse of Children, Panel Finds |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| SYDNEY, Australia — A royal commission investigating the sexual abuse of children in Australia found Friday that the nation’s institutions were gripped by an epidemic dating back decades, with tens of thousands of children sexually abused in many Australian institutions. | SYDNEY, Australia — A royal commission investigating the sexual abuse of children in Australia found Friday that the nation’s institutions were gripped by an epidemic dating back decades, with tens of thousands of children sexually abused in many Australian institutions. |
| The commission, the highest form of investigation in Australia, urged the government to consider and respond to its conclusions and 189 recommendations, among them the establishment of a new National Office for Child Safety and the adoption of laws to address the failure to protect children. | |
| “Tens of thousands of children have been sexually abused in many Australian institutions,” its report said. “We will never know the true number. Whatever the number, it is a national tragedy, perpetrated over generations within many of our most trusted institutions.” | |
| The commission’s chairman, Justice Peter McClellan, said that the panel heard from more than 1,000 witnesses over nearly 15 months in discovering the magnitude of the abuse. | The commission’s chairman, Justice Peter McClellan, said that the panel heard from more than 1,000 witnesses over nearly 15 months in discovering the magnitude of the abuse. |
| “Across many decades many institutions failed our children,” Justice McClellan said at the commission’s final hearing, on Thursday. “Our child protection, criminal and civil justice systems let them down.” | “Across many decades many institutions failed our children,” Justice McClellan said at the commission’s final hearing, on Thursday. “Our child protection, criminal and civil justice systems let them down.” |
| Australia created the commission in 2012 to investigate decades of sexual abuse in religious institutions, schools and other establishments — the only country in the world so far to initiate such a sweeping government-led inquiry. More than 4,000 institutions have been implicated in abuse allegations, the commission found. | Australia created the commission in 2012 to investigate decades of sexual abuse in religious institutions, schools and other establishments — the only country in the world so far to initiate such a sweeping government-led inquiry. More than 4,000 institutions have been implicated in abuse allegations, the commission found. |
| Australian government investigators found 4,444 victims of abuse and at least 1,880 suspected abusers from 1980 to 2015, most of them Catholic priests and religious brothers. | Australian government investigators found 4,444 victims of abuse and at least 1,880 suspected abusers from 1980 to 2015, most of them Catholic priests and religious brothers. |
| Francis Sullivan, the Roman Catholic Church’s point person in dealing with the crisis, acknowledged that the revelations have “shocked the nation” and “revealed a deep, deep weeping wound.” | Francis Sullivan, the Roman Catholic Church’s point person in dealing with the crisis, acknowledged that the revelations have “shocked the nation” and “revealed a deep, deep weeping wound.” |
| The inquiry, costing 500 million Australian dollars, or $383 million, was unmatched in its scope in examining a scandal that has shaken the Roman Catholic hierarchy worldwide. | The inquiry, costing 500 million Australian dollars, or $383 million, was unmatched in its scope in examining a scandal that has shaken the Roman Catholic hierarchy worldwide. |
| The most damaging revelations centered on scandals in towns like Ballarat, the hometown of Cardinal George Pell, who this year became the highest-ranking Roman Catholic prelate to be formally charged with sexual offenses. | The most damaging revelations centered on scandals in towns like Ballarat, the hometown of Cardinal George Pell, who this year became the highest-ranking Roman Catholic prelate to be formally charged with sexual offenses. |
| In Ballarat, a police officer investigated a pedophile ring at local Catholic schools and said up to 30 victims had since committed suicide. | In Ballarat, a police officer investigated a pedophile ring at local Catholic schools and said up to 30 victims had since committed suicide. |
| In June, Cardinal Pell, one of Pope Francis’ top advisers, himself became the highest-ranking Roman Catholic prelate to be formally charged with sexual offenses. The charges followed years of criticism that he had at best overlooked, and at worst covered up, the widespread abuse of children by clergymen in Australia. | In June, Cardinal Pell, one of Pope Francis’ top advisers, himself became the highest-ranking Roman Catholic prelate to be formally charged with sexual offenses. The charges followed years of criticism that he had at best overlooked, and at worst covered up, the widespread abuse of children by clergymen in Australia. |
| Former Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who had called for the establishment of the royal commission, said that previous efforts to conduct such an inquiry were resisted, despite efforts by whistle-blowers to expose the abuses. | Former Prime Minister Julia Gillard, who had called for the establishment of the royal commission, said that previous efforts to conduct such an inquiry were resisted, despite efforts by whistle-blowers to expose the abuses. |
| “Increasingly as more and more survivors came forward, the question became, how do we respond to this?” she said. “There were a number of factors to consider that troubled me quite deeply." | “Increasingly as more and more survivors came forward, the question became, how do we respond to this?” she said. “There were a number of factors to consider that troubled me quite deeply." |
| She said that in formulating the inquiry, she found that previous such efforts hadn’t given survivors the sense of healing or closure they sought. | She said that in formulating the inquiry, she found that previous such efforts hadn’t given survivors the sense of healing or closure they sought. |
| “I knew that it would be difficult to get it right and I was very concerned that if we created an inquiry that didn’t work well it would end up retraumatizing survivors,” Ms. Gillard said. | “I knew that it would be difficult to get it right and I was very concerned that if we created an inquiry that didn’t work well it would end up retraumatizing survivors,” Ms. Gillard said. |
| She decided that even in the face of many of the risks, giving survivors the respect and dignity that came with having a formal wide-ranging inquiry in which they could report what had happened to them was more important. | She decided that even in the face of many of the risks, giving survivors the respect and dignity that came with having a formal wide-ranging inquiry in which they could report what had happened to them was more important. |
| Ultimately, Australians have been shocked and appalled by the range of the abuse that has been brought to light, and the systematic nature of the cover-ups. | Ultimately, Australians have been shocked and appalled by the range of the abuse that has been brought to light, and the systematic nature of the cover-ups. |
| “It has already changed the nation,” Ms. Gillard said. “Never again can we be naïve about the depth and breath of this problem.” | “It has already changed the nation,” Ms. Gillard said. “Never again can we be naïve about the depth and breath of this problem.” |
| In August, the Royal Commission recommended a sweep of legislative and policy changes, one of which would require priests who hear about sexual abuse in the confessional to report it to the authorities, alarming church officials since confidentiality is integral to the ritual. | In August, the Royal Commission recommended a sweep of legislative and policy changes, one of which would require priests who hear about sexual abuse in the confessional to report it to the authorities, alarming church officials since confidentiality is integral to the ritual. |