Royal commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse releases data showing 4,445 have come forward
Australian Associated Press
Wednesday 15 February 2017 20.31 EST
The Catholic Church in Australia has paid $276m in compensation to thousands of people sexually abused as children by priests and religious brothers.
The victims who have come forward to the church have received on average $91,000, according to data released by the royal commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse on Thursday.
In total 4,445 people have made abuse claims to the church but that number still does not reveal the true extent of abuse in Catholic institutions in Australia as many victims never come forward.
“The royal commission’s experience is that many survivors face barriers which deter them from reporting abuse to authorities and to the institution in which the abuse occurred,” senior counsel assisting the commission Gail Furness SC said.
“Accordingly, the total number of incidences of child sexual abuse in Catholic church institutions in Australia is likely to be greater than the claims made.”
The commission’s analysis of church records showed more than 3,000 child abuse claims resulted in payments for redress, of which 2,854 resulted in monetary compensation.
A significant number of claims are ongoing, the inquiry heard.
Furness said Catholic church authorities have paid $276.1m in total, a sum that includes compensation and amounts for treatment, legal and other costs.