THE family of the first victim to speak out about historic sexual abuse at St Stanislaus’ College has joined the chorus of voices calling for the Royal Commission investigating Institutional Responses into Child Sexual Abuse to hold an open public hearing in Bathurst.
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Carol Nielsen, whose son Tor was the whistle-blower on the historic abuse at the school, said it was important not only for individuals but for the community that a hearing was held.
She was speaking as Greens MLC David Shoebridge prepares to host a public forum in Bathurst on Tuesday night.
The forum will discuss ways to make amends to the victims of historic abuse and how to make institutions accountable for past wrongs.
For Mrs Nielsen, the need for a public hearing is about transparency.
“There are still people in the community who were involved. Not everyone has been caught and not everyone has came forward – people need to know what happened,” she said.
Mrs Nielsen said it was also important to know what percentage of the Vincentian priests who taught at St Stanislaus’ were paedophiles. This information had come out of all the other public hearings, she said.
“When the victims are asking for redress for what happened, this is information that needs to be known,” she said.
“Until we lift the lid off this, people don’t see it.
“People don’t want to accept people they knew were doing this or that the institution itself was involved.
Mrs Nielsen acknowledged former Bathurst detective Justin Hadley’s tenacity in bringing perpetrators to justice.
“He believed Tor,” she said. “Other people hadn’t listened to him but [Detective Hadley] picked it up and took it further.”
Mrs Nielsen also wonders about other victims who, like Tor, suffered the mental scars of abuse or who may have taken their lives before the perpetrators could be brought to justice.
“How many victims committed suicide? This is why we need a hearing,” she said.
In early January, retired Western Advocate journalist Terry Jones said it beggared belief a public hearing wouldn’t be held in Bathurst given the long history of abuse in the city.
Mr Shoebridge’s forum will be at the Bathurst Memorial Entertainment Centre from 6.30pm on Tuesday.
Mr Shoebridge will deliver the keynote address.
It is not essential for people to register for the forum but they can do so at https://www.facebook.com/events/274271736339369.
