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Accusations of Abuse in Institutions

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One News
September 30, 2003

More sex abuse claims at Sedgley

More claims of sexual abuse have emerged from an Anglican boys' home.

The church has launched an investigation into an initial complaint by one man who claims he was molested 41 years ago at the Sedgley Home in Masterton.

The Wellington Bishop has expressed regret and hoped that it was an isolated incident. However, ONE News has spoken to other men who have broken their silence to talk of being abused.

Michael Ruskin was 10 years old when he went to live at Sedgley Boys' Home.

"There was sexual abuse that went on in that place. I was young and it was pretty terrifying but I couldn't speak to anyone about it, in fact I haven't spoken about it for all these years. Even my brother didn't know, it's just something that you're not proud of but I realise I wasn't the guilty party."

Ruskin claims a housemaster molested boys in their dormitories at night.

"You know it's wrong, but you don't know how to deal with it. You're amongst adults and this is what they're doing...these are the people that are supposed to care for you."

Michael Ruskin isn't after justice or compensation - but says he is pleased to have it out in the open.

"It is quite good to say that it went on and not act as though I have to cover up for them - it did actually happen."

He is speaking out in support of a fellow resident who last year told police he was abused at Sedgley in 1962.

On Monday the Anglican Church expressed its regret over that incident, although the alleged offender hasn't been charged.

Detective Sergeant Graeme Reisima of the Masterton police says there were several reasons for that.

"A lot to do with (his) age and his frailty and also in conjunction with the victim's views, we took those into account when the decision was made not to prosecute..."

The church had hoped it was an isolated case, but ONE News has spoken to another former resident who says at least five boys were sexually abused at Sedgley during the 1940s by two men who were cooks at the school.

He says he has never spoken about it - not even to his wife. Now he says he wants someone to be held accountable.

The Anglican Church has asked the Sedgley Trust Board to investigate the initial complaint.

Board spokeswoman, Lisa Rossiter, says they will be looking into it.

"We will do that by identifying and speaking with the people who were involved with Sedgley at the time the alleged offence took place, and we'll take it from there."

Sedgley stopped operating as a residential centre in 1988. The Sedgley Trust now runs a family care centre there. Its services include counselling for sexual abuse victims and sex offenders.