We Were Children.......Another True Story About Church Abuse

Vic41 · Guru

We Were Children.......Another True Story About Church Abuse

dorian · Guru

Has anyone heard of the Heiner Affair?

www.restoreaustralia.org.au/heiner-affair/

Will the perpretators be brought before the Royal Commission into child sex abuse?

Vic41 · Guru

They may be Dorian, but it won't be helped by the destruction of vital evidence, I hope they and anyone else involved is held to account.

GaryKelly · Guru

By contrast, I spent my early years at a nun's catholic school and then attended a De La Salle college during my secondary years. Never once did I notice anything untoward - not even a sideways glance.

Vic41 · Guru

GaryKelly wrote:
By contrast, I spent my early years at a nun's catholic school and then attended a De La Salle college during my secondary years. Never once did I notice anything untoward - not even a sideways glance.

Big difference between schools and orphanages Gary and you probably had your parents to go home too and to go to bat for you for anything untoward. Some abuse did occur outside the homes as well though in schools/church etc;

From a December 2013 Daily Telegraph article, link show further down;

"Counsel assisting the commission, Gail Furness SC, said that between January 1996 and September 2013, $43 million had been paid by all church authorities with the Christian Brothers the most notorious.

The second largest number of complaints were made against the Marist Brothers and then the De La Salle Brothers."

Those under their total control and "care" as in orphanages and homes (and I use the term loosely) suffered most.

They weren't the only church homes or organisations that abused their charges, but by far the largest numbers abused by far by their so called "Christian" carers was by the Catholic Church.

This was only the tip of the iceberg;

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_sexual_abuse_cases_in_Australia

Daily Telegraph article, December 2013:

http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/hush-fund-catholic-church-paid-43-million-to-keep-abuse-secret/story-fni0cx12-1226779292848

-- Edited by Vic41 on Friday 10th of January 2014 01:32:00 PM

kandagal · Guru

Were you in an church run orphanage in Rockhampton? I was in the 1940s & I know personally about ill treatment.

Gerty Dancer · Guru

Does it ever go away? Do you ever recover from that kind of abuse in your childhood?

I know a bloke who was a child at the Fairbridge Farm where English kids were sent out to Australia "for a better life", later he was in Vietnam... now hes really not well.

Vic41 · Guru

kandagal wrote:
Were you in an church run orphanage in Rockhampton? I was in the 1940s & I know personally about ill treatment.

My three older sisters were in St Joseph's Orphanage for girls in Subiaco, I was in an annex building called St Vincent's Foundlings Home for younger children both boys and girls. I was not allowed to see my sisters nor them me.

http://www.findandconnect.gov.au/guide/wa/WE00196

Suffice to say we all suffered at the hands of these so called "Christians" who posed as servants of God. Later in life I suffered nightmares for years, always the same nightmare, a figure in black with a torch leaning over me in my bed at night. I also remember this old senile nun who sat on the verandah and as you ran past would hook her walking stick around your ankle to trip you over. I was young at the time but I was traumatised by my overall experience and had to be removed to a hospital as I had gone into shock and was dying.

For those who mistreated and abused these children I can only say I have no time for those who try to justify these actions or hide the truth, they were what they were.

Getting back to the movies, for those who may be interested or experienced time in these institutions I would recommend seeing them, it may make your feel anger at what they did in God's name, but it shows we were not alone in our suffering. In the movie Philomena, she was able to forgive those who deceived her about her son, she must have been a very forgiving woman.

-- Edited by Vic41 on Friday 10th of January 2014 04:29:57 PM

valnrob · Guru

They make me sick these so called servants of God, Christians, or whatever they call themselves and when I see them kissing babies and small children on tv it makes me cringe.

Vic41 · Guru

valnrob wrote:
They make me sick these so called servants of God, Christians, or whatever they call themselves and when I see them kissing babies and small children on tv it makes me cringe.

The "home" I was in was run by the "Sisters of Mercy", I think they should have been renamed the "Sisters of Sadism" or "Sisters of Satan".

I don't have Kindle, but I understand that "We Were Children" may be available for that.

Vic41 · Guru

My sisters told me while we were there (I can't remember it) a Sunday paper in Perth had a Xmas appeal for toys for the children at the home.

Toys poured into the appeal and they were delivered to the home on Xmas Day by the paper, and they were distributed to the kids, photo's were taken by the paper for a story, happy kids (who wouldn't be getting a present in that hellhole) and the "staff" posing with their charges, but once the media and visitors had departed the toys were confiscated from the children never to be seen again.

Goodness know what they did with them, sell them in one of their charity shops maybe?

-- Edited by Vic41 on Friday 10th of January 2014 11:45:21 PM

turbopete · Senior Member

Vic41 wrote:
valnrob wrote:
They make me sick these so called servants of God, Christians, or whatever they call themselves and when I see them kissing babies and small children on tv it makes me cringe.

The "home" I was in was run by the "Sisters of Mercy", I think they should have been renamed the "Sisters of Sadism" or "Sisters of Satan".
I don't have Kindle, but I understand that "We Were Children" may be available for that.

you are not wrong vile creatures they were delighted in hitting children ,i ended up doing the block as a 10yr old and kicked her and threw ink at the bitch got her on the white thing she wore,, she was at Campbelltown,,,, school now closed

-- Edited by turbopete on Saturday 11th of January 2014 12:21:42 PM

Vic41 · Guru

They and others of like ilk had a lot to answer for, if it hadn't been for those who have come forward and their supporters including the media and modern communications it would still be going on today and they would still be getting away with it.

My sisters and I have had and have our coping problems and depression at times due to our experiences, but others unfortunately have resorted to suicide to end their nightmare memories. Innocent children preyed upon by these vultures.

Meanwhile, getting back OT, try to see this movie or get it out on DVD, also Philomena (on now at the movies) and also on DVD Oranges and Sunshine about Bindoon and the horrors that went on there.

Gary, I am glad you had a positive experience at school, obviously you were not one of the "chosen" considering that was one of the worst groups involved in paedophilia, so you can be thankful.

-- Edited by Vic41 on Saturday 11th of January 2014 12:41:24 PM

Tomzys · Senior Member

How too true for words, I know people who are still troubled with what they experienced in these Christian Homes/Care, and other organisations that also cared for Children, the damage to these then Children of all ages is undiscribable, not just the HOLY CHURCH, also our GOVERNMENT , State Children they never took notice of reports of abuse these Children reported at the time. Still not much change now, they still put Children at risk, if it wasn't for the Media, we would not know, pushed under the carpet and nothing done.

Big Gorilla · Guru

All of those *******s deserve a long jail spell, and a lot are now in jail... I guess it was easy for them to get away with child abuse so long ago. Good thing there is no Statute of limitations on these beastly crimes. And now we have Rolf Harris facing Court. Whoever thought he might be involved in such a hideous crime. But he hasn't been convicted, so he must be presumed innocent until the case is heard and determined.