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Accusations of Abuse in Institutions

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The Press
July 5, 2002

Sex-abused to consider group action
by Yvonne Martin

Victims of alleged abuse at a Catholic boarding school are considering taking group legal action, as complaints against members of religious orders flood in.

Former Marylands boarders and their families, who meet for the first time today, will be presented with a legal opinion provided by Christchurch lawyer Grant Cameron.

The Order of St John of God, which ran Marylands, has received 45 calls on its freephone set up to help victims report abuse. Another toll-free line to the Society of Mary (Marist priests and brothers) has taken about 130 calls since Sunday.

Meeting organiser Ken Clearwater, who manages the Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse Trust in Christchurch, said the St John order had acknowledged that victims were abused. "So it's now a matter of how they fix that guilt," he said.

At least one victim's family was interested in a group action, said Mr Clearwater. He will present others today with an opinion from Mr Cameron recommending such an action.

"I think it's a great idea," said Mr Clearwater. "But it is entirely up to those involved as to what they want to do."

Mr Cameron represented families from the Cave Creek tragedy and former Lake Alice child patients, who received $6.5 million compensation and a Government apology last year for abuse they suffered at the hospital in the 1970s.

Broken Rites, an Australian lobby group that supported some of the 24 Victorian men eventually paid $4 million compensation from the St John of God Order for abuse suffered in residential homes, warned that a law suit would not be easy.

"Normally with the Catholic Church it is like suing the tobacco industry or the oil companies," said Bernard Barrett, a researcher and volunteer for Broken Rites.

"Legally, the Catholic Church fights like mad."

A St John of God spokesman said yesterday that "the brothers would be happy for people to pursue whatever process they want to pursue".

The Australasian head of the order, Brother Peter Burke, will visit Christchurch in a fortnight to meet complainants and their families. His order has already paid a total of $300,000 to five complainants in New Zealand.

Mr Clearwater said at least 11 men and their families wanted to meet the St John of God leader.

Brother Burke will also visit Paparua Prison, where three inmates have complained of earlier abuse by brothers. He will also meet complainants in Auckland and Hastings.

The Society of Mary's deputy leader, Father Tim Duckworth, said most of the phone complaints received by his order related to alleged abuse from more than 20 years ago. Some reported abuse claims that had nothing to do with his order.

Father Duckworth said he spoke to police yesterday about former Marist priest Alan Woodcock, who is facing fresh complaints of abuse from former students at St Patrick's College in Silverstream, Upper Hutt.

Detective Sergeant Murray Porter, of the Upper Hutt CIB, said he hoped to pass the file on Mr Woodcock to police national headquarters early next week. A decision would then be made on whether to apply for his extradition from London.

Father Duckworth said he and his colleagues would welcome extradition so that Mr Woodcock faced his accusers: "Justice is very important."

* The Catholic Church has set up its own helpline, 0800 111 515, to cover its six dioceses and 39 orders in New Zealand. Callers will be referred to the appropriate service.