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Accusations of Abuse in Institutions

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The Southland Times
March 17, 2003

Abused offered compo
by Stu Oldham

Six Southlanders among more than 70 men allegedly subjected to ritualistic abuse as boys at a Christchurch Catholic residential school may be offered a share of compensation payments totalling $4 million.

The St John of God Order hopes the payments -- the largest ever offered by a religious order in New Zealand -- will bring a "sad and sorry situation to closure." The Australasian head of the Order, Brother Peter Burke, said last night he had written to 56 of more than 70 complainants offering them compensation for sexual abuse they allegedly suffered at Marylands, a Christchurch school for boys with intellectual and learning disabilities run by the order until 1984.

The offer was made after the 56 were involved in a lengthy "pastoral process" overseen by retired High Court judge Sir Rodney Gallen.

In personalised letters outlining the payments, Br Burke said deciding how much to offer each individual was the hardest decision of his life.

"It may not be full recompense for the pain and suffering you have had over the years but is a sincere attempt to make up what you have lost," wrote Br Burke, who has made many trips to New Zealand to meet complainants.Christchurch-based Male Survivors of Sexual Abuse Trust manager Ken Clearwater said the offer would be cold comfort to the five men in Invercargill and one in Mataura who allegedly endured years of ritualistic sexual torture at the hands of men supposed to help them.

Some of the men, who were now in the 30s and 40s, had become alcoholics, or had lived their lives in prisons, mental institutions and half-way homes.

The trust heard of some of the Southern complainants through concerned alcohol and drug services, who understood their suffering was linked to "horrific abuse" in their past.

Mr Clearwater doubted the cash would heal their wounds.

"They will want to move forward with their lives but there is a lot of anger there that money and the compassion of the church can't do anything about," he said.

Mr Clearwater, who supported 37 of the complainants in their dealings with the order, said most claimed to have been abused in satanic-style rituals or forced to perform sexual acts on threat of losing touch with their parents.

Many had tried to tell someone in authority about the abuse but were not believed.

Four Christchurch detectives were investigating the claims of abuse at the Halswell school. The order would offer payments to the remaining claimants once they had gone through the pastoral process.