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The Press
November 4, 2003
Nuns to meet accusers
by Yvonne Martin
Fifteen women who claim they were abused as girls by Catholic nuns in a former
Christchurch orphanage are meeting the sisters' order.
Complaints against the Sisters of Nazareth from former residents of Nazareth
House in Sydenham and
The complaints of cruelty span several decades from the 1930s.
Three men, who have complained about their childhood years in the nuns' care,
will also be heard.
The mediation is being run by Christine Grice, the New
Zealand Law Society's immediate past president. This will be the first round of
grievances to be aired, according to a joint statement by solicitors for the
nuns and complainants. Other complaints have been received and will be dealt
with in a second round.
"This is a significant process for all parties involved and it is hoped
that it will prove to be a means of resolving the various issues between all
the parties," the statement said.
One woman complainant, claiming she was physically abused by the sisters,
expected the mediation to be charged with emotion.
"It's going to be hard to control the anger," she said.
In