Children being abused now are losing out

Sunday May 28th 2006

AT THE risk of seriously annoying some readers, I have to admit, that I'm totally fed up with hearing the whingeing that is coming from some former inmates of the industrial schools.

The amount of coverage the media has offered has been more than generous. The millions of euro poured in, from both the State and religious coffers, to counsel, support, investigate and heal, is practically obscene it's so much. Yet is there healing? Hell no! I hate to say it, but after 10 years it would seem as if the vocal chords of the eight victim support groups are only warming up.

As a nurse, I'm only too aware of the fantastic work done by groups such as Children at Risk in Ireland (CARI) and Childline. Yet the publicity they get and the State funding received is minuscule compared to the industrial school sector. The services they provide, and the heroic efforts of their workers are going largely unrecognised. Why? Eight industrial school victim support groups receiving an almost limitless amount of funding might have something to do with it.

I would feel far happier as a taxpayer if my money were used to support all equally. Indeed, it might appease my disgruntlement a little if the "big eight" would highlight the plight of our present-day children, but it would seem they are the second-class abused.

Have I the right to comment so vociferously? Yep, I think I do.

I was taken care of in an industrial school from six weeks to five years old. When the school closed down I was returned (quite bizarrely) to my parents. Not their fault, but as two people totally unsuited to parenthood, it was not a happy reunion. For many years I went through the abuse-excuse process. Although I achieved a good education and became a nurse, I distrusted people and found personal relationships very difficult. However, thankfully, "deal with it and move on" became my mantra. To a certain extent, through helping others I was able to let go of the past and recreate myself. Not ideal but, for me, it worked.

When the stories of abuse started to emerge from the industrial schools, I listened with the same horror as every other Irish citizen with an ounce of compassion in their bones. I had no reason to believe some of the stories may not have been true. After all, why would anyone say such horrific things without genuine reason? Support the religious orders? God no, jail them, throw away the key, age is no defence, name and shame!

That is, of course, until it hit closer to home, and on avisit to the nun who caredfor me, I discovered shewas under allegation. Insupport of her, I came outwith my own story, not todeny anyone else's truth, but to pay her a debt of gratitude. Within a year, a hundred ex-inmates from schools such as Artane, Goldenbridge, and St Joseph's in Kilkenny, Drogheda and Waterford had made contact.

We decided to form a cohesive group called "Let Our Voices Emerge" (LOVE), as many wanted to support their religious carers, but were afraid to do so. Bullying and abuse was rampant amongst the inmates themselves. On discovering, through talking to each other, that some of those not abused were using the stories of those who were, and that meetings were held with the main intention of swapping information and enabling fraudulent allegations, we exposed this fact to the media and to the religious orders. Although we emphatically stated that we fully supported any of those genuinely abused, we wanted to support those undergoing reflected shame or worse.

We were instantly branded as paedophile supporters, liars, and religious fanatics. As the vitriol and counter-allegations flew at us, we stood fast in our belief that to turn our backs on those who cared for us when our families either couldn't or wouldn't would be wrong. Religious fanatics? Most of us couldn't care less about religion! As for myself, I'm a practising C of I.

We could receive no financial support from the religious orders, as it would have compromised our stance, and so, with nothing but the desire for the full truth of our homes to come out we will continue with LOVE. However, the chances of this happening are quite remote, as the panic reaction of church and State damned the process from the very beginning.

Allegations of abuse came out from the industrial schools in 1996. The compensation scheme (the Redress Board) was set up to run in

'When the stories of abuse started to emerge from the industrial schools, I listened with the same horror as every other Irish citizen with an ounce of compassion in their bones

tandem with, but to finish before, a State investigation into the running of the institutions (the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse).

This opened the door for solicitors, and closed the door on protection of the public purse because the burden of proof was so low in the Redress Board and the definition of 'abuse' so wide, all could legitimately claim at least some degree of abuse.

Allegations poured in on a massive scale (14,400 out of the 165,000 inmates of the schools). Both State and religious orders had issued apologies for those that suffered abuse. Victim support groups were happy.

Then issues emerged from the Inquiry Commission, that the picture previously painted may not have been the true picture. The religious orders stated that they felt compensation might have been a contaminating factor in the investigation. Evidence of inaccuracies between allegations made, and State and religious records were produced. Victim support groups were not happy.

Claims of 'whitewashing', 'cover-ups' and 'lying', by the religious orders flooded into the media. Let Our Voices Emerge contend that, just as those who claim they were abused had a right to be heard, so too do the religious leaderships owe a duty to ensure that the institutions and the workers in them are given a fair representation.

The orders produced evidence of abuse and this was fully accepted. They produced evidence of contamination of evidence and vilification of certain religious workers in the schools, and this was not accepted. Mass hysteria and protests by victim support groups flooded the media. Hysteria, in my opinion is caused by fear. The compensation has been received. Do the victim support groups now fear the investigation? If so, why? If the truth has been told in the past, they have nothing to be afraid of.

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Florence Horsman Hogan

? Irish Independent