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Allegations of Abuse in
Institutions |
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A Salvation Army abuse survivors'
group has joined a victim in the recent John Gainsford trial to call for an
independent inquiry into the way children were treated in salvationist homes.
In the High Court in Timaru last
week, Gainsford was found guilty of 22 indecency counts including three of rape.
Most of the counts involved girls under the age of 12 and related to his time
at the former Salvation Army children's home in South Canterbury in the
1970s. Group spokeswoman Jan Lowe, of
Paraparaumu, said an inquiry was needed, and victims wanted an apology from
the Salvation Army. However, a spokeswoman for
Associate Social Development Minister Ruth Dyson said the Salvation Army was
dealing with the abuse allegations, and matters were also before the courts. Lowe, who speaks for a group of 30
abuse victims -- many of whom have had salvationist compensation payouts --
said most wanted an apology and acknowledgement of what happened at some
homes. She said complaints were ignored. Lowe said a class action had been
considered, but settlements were made after publicity about the case. A victim from the Gainsford case
said she would welcome an inquiry. "They (the Salvation Army)
are saying now they have procedures and protocols in place and would ask
victims to contact police. "But here I am 2km away from
a police station at nine years old, with a fear of authority and the army
wants me to talk to the cops -- the onus is all back on the victim. "No nine-year-old in my
position would have done that -- it's taken me to over 40 years old to even
address this issue with police," the complainant, who cannot be named,
said. The Salvation Army view then was
that the children's parents were bad, "so we were genetically bad".
She said the issue of Gainsford
had been addressed, but the culpability of the Salvation Army had not. Salvation Army spokesman Major
Ross Gower said the understanding of child abuse at the time was not as good
as that today. Now, he said, policies had changed
and matters would be put in the hands of police if deemed necessary. Since
Gainsford's crimes, checks had been put in place, and complainants were
encouraged to come forward. Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse
Trust manager Ken Clearwater said it also backed the call for an inquiry. He said he had been pushing for an
inquiry into institutional care for years, but the Government appeared to be
shying away from it. |
