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Australia: The Anglican Church in Adelaide has had the wind put up its skirts after an independent inquiry into its habit of not only turning a blind eye to kiddie fondling priests, but actively protecting them from prosecution, was released. The head sherrang has made a weak apology, but refuses to resign.
An independent inquiry into the Anglican church's handling of child sex abuse allegations in South Australia has found the church was uncaring towards victims.
The inquiry was conducted by retired Supreme Court justice Trevor Olsson and social work lecturer Donna Chung, after claims that a former youth worker abused up to 200 boys.
The report says evidence relating to more than 80 complaints of sex abuse were received and it has called for the church to improve reporting procedures and the documentation of complaints.
While tabling the report in Parliament on Monday afternoon, Premier Mike Rann said it contained some damning findings.
It is clear that there was a failure over decades on the part of the church as an institution and by some individuals within the church to put the interests of the victims ahead of the perceived interest of the Anglican church,he said.
The church failed those who most deserved support and care ... there was a breach of trust and a betrayal of the Church's obligations to pastoral care.
The report found that in many cases the church was uncaring towards victims, even threatening to sue some for defamation, prompting an apology from Anglican Archbishop of Adelaide Ian George.
We acknowledge our failure, we are ashamed of it,he said.
But unhappy with the church's response, child protection expert Freda Briggs has called for Archbishop George to resign.
Ms Briggs, who co-wrote a similar report in Queensland, says the Archbishop's response is pathetic and he should resign.
It would appear to me that there is more criticism of Ian George in this report than there was of [former governor-general] Peter Hollingworth,she said.
He still seems to be dismissing the seriousness of the complaints within the report.
Archbishop George has denied claims that he advised a paedophile chaplain to flee the country, rather than face the police.
The allegation is contained in the report tabled in Parliament this afternoon.
I refute any suggestion that either the headmaster or the school or myself told this priest that he must leave the country,Archbishop George said.
Whistleblower priest Reverend Don Owers says the report is a vindication for the victims:This outcome provides a way of healing and perhaps justice for survivors and that was what we were looking for.
The SA Government has referred the report to police.
I have to wonder if the whistleblowing Reverend winds up face down in a ditch for having the guts to out the church.
Damning Anglican sex abuse report revealed—ABC, 31st May 2004.
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1: Posted by: Red Wolf | June 21, 2004 6:07 AM
Some rather nasty letters have turned up, since Ian George did a bunk, that implicate him in covering up the actions of a paedophile.
Evangelism, witnessing and similar activitites go by one name here—, and is no different from spam for viagra, penis enlargement products and pornography. We do not take advertising. If you want to advertise your imaginary friend, please spend your own money on your own web space to do so. Any attempts to use the comments section for advertisements will be deleted, and the perpetrator barred, unless they are particularly stupid, in which case I reserve the right to pinch an idea from Teresa Nielsen Hayden and delete all the vowels.
This is not a contacts site. If you are looking for help regarding a particular path, I suggest The Witches' Voice, which does operate a contacts service.
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