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Allegations
of Abuse in Institutions |
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Peter Murphy says he
has not a single positive memory from the 10 years he spent in a Salvation
Army children's home. The 55-year-old
Hamilton man, who lived at the Whatman Children's Home in Masterton during
the 1950s, said staff physically abused children for the entire time he was
there. "There was nothing
good about them. They made us work, beat us and treated us like dirt. They
crushed people." Mr Murphy is one of 28
people in New Zealand who have approached the social services agency about allegations
of physical and sexual abuse. He said he would like an independent inquiry
into the abuse, and would like to be compensated. The Salvation Army
confirmed that Mr Murphy had made contact. Mr Murphy claimed he
entered the home as a 5-year-old in 1952. He said that within
days, he witnessed his older brother being beaten by officers and older
children. From that time Mr
Murphy said he was beaten without reason. "There was an
environment of violence, fear and horror. There was always a threat in the air." His worst memory was of
being beaten around the ankles with a metal hammer. He was only 8 years old
at the time. |
