Pell, often described as a conservative Catholic, was jailed for child sexual abuse in Australia in 2019 but maintained his innocence and was acquitted the following year.
Pell said after his acquittal he would ‘be very surprised if there’s any bad findings’ in the redacted portions of the royal commission report. This is not the case.
When parents suspect grooming, they should direct their concerns to the school, no matter how trivial it may seem.
Even with the National Redress Scheme, pursuing justice through civil litigation is still hugely important to many victims of priest sex abuse.
David Crosling/AAP
Addressing the legal responsibility of institutions for the actions of abusers has proven incredibly complex. Victoria thought it was making things easier for victims, but the opposite is true.
Catholic secondary schools experienced significant growth prior to 2015, but since then, enrolments have stagnated.
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Investigative reporter Louise Milligan on Cardinal Pell and redactions in the Royal Commission’s report
The Conversation55.2 MB(download)
When the royal commission handed down its massive report in late 2017, several sections were redacted until after any legal proceedings against Cardinal Pell were concluded.
CLAN members pause for a minute’s silence following the launch of the National Redress Scheme in Sydney, July 1 2018.
AAP Image/Paul Braven
Brazil’s John of God is a “spiritual healer” who performs surgeries without anaesthesia. Millions have experienced his unique healing methods, but now hundreds of women say he sexually abused them.
Pope Francis has finally, and for the first time, admitted the Church has a problem with priests sexually abusing nuns.
ANGELO CARCONI/AAP
Twenty-five years ago, an Irish nun handed a report to the Catholic Church that detailed sexual abuse against nuns by priests worldwide. It was ignored. But now nuns are finally sharing their stories.
Politics with Michelle Grattan: Derryn Hinch on a national ICAC and the Victorian election.
CC BY33.8 MB(download)
The government is more likely to beef up existing institutions but Derryn Hinch, who has been a strong advocate for a national ICAC, says "that would be wrong."
National apologies for abuse are important, but children in institutional care also need better support transitioning to adulthood.
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One of the most controversial recommendations from the Royal Commission is that child abuse disclosed in confession should be mandatorily reported. But the matter is more complex than it might appear.
Prosecution rates of sexual assault cases remain low, with fewer than 50% of cases brought to court in NSW resulting in conviction.
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The change in law is part of broader reforms that came out of the Royal Commission into Child Sexual Abuse in both NSW and Victoria.
Walter V. Robinson, the US investigative journalist who was portrayed by Michael Keaton in the film Spotlight, talks to Media Files about his team’s investigation into child abuse in the Catholic Church.
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Spotlight’s Walter V. Robinson and the Newcastle Herald’s Chad Watson on covering clergy abuse - and the threats that followed.
The Conversation74.5 MB(download)
In this episode, we hear from Walter V. Robinson on how the Boston Globe Spotlight investigation into clergy abuse began, and from the Newcastle Herald's Chad Watson on how his paper covered abuse.
Attorney-General Christian Porter on a crowded agenda.
Christian Porter says the response to the consultations for a national apology to victims of child sexual abuse has been very strong with a total of 167 attendees at consultation sessions so far.