4 Jan 2011
Northern Ireland clergy crimes survivors campaign for independent inquiry into religious and state institutional abuse
Belfast Telegraph - October 8, 2010
Child abuse victims united in inquiry call
Victims of institutional child abuse gathered in Belfast yesterday to have their voices heard.
Over the past year, victims’ campaigners have been pressing for an independent inquiry in Northern Ireland to investigate historical child abuse within religious and state-run institutions.
They want a probe similar to the commission which produced the Ryan Report which exposed the shocking scale of institutional child abuse in the Republic.
Yesterday a conference, supported by Amnesty International, was held at the Wellington Park Hotel to discuss how to move that process forward.
Around 150 people, including dozens of victims, many of whom have never shared their heartbreaking stories before, attended the event. Some were there to listen, while others were their to share. For one such woman, who only wanted to be known as Kate, yesterday’s conference was her chance to paint a “real picture” of the suffering she and thousands of others suffered at the hands of their abusers.
At 54, the Derry woman, who was born in Scotland, is still coming to terms with the horrific abuse she endured as a child at Nazareth House children’s home.
A brave Kate explained until yesterday she had never spoken publicly about what had happened to her all those years ago. But, she added, she did so in a bid to encourage others.
John Leatham, who spent his entire childhood and adolescence in religious and state-run homes, also believes an inquiry would serve to help victims.
He says he was physically and emotionally abused while he was under the care of nuns at Nazareth Lodge in Belfast.
Then when he turned 13 he was moved to the De La Salle boys’ home in Kircubbin, Co Down.
It was there he was sexually abused.
This article was found at:
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/child-abuse-victims-united-in-inquiry-call-14970456.html
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Child abuse victims united in inquiry call
Victims of institutional child abuse gathered in Belfast yesterday to have their voices heard.
Over the past year, victims’ campaigners have been pressing for an independent inquiry in Northern Ireland to investigate historical child abuse within religious and state-run institutions.
They want a probe similar to the commission which produced the Ryan Report which exposed the shocking scale of institutional child abuse in the Republic.
Yesterday a conference, supported by Amnesty International, was held at the Wellington Park Hotel to discuss how to move that process forward.
Around 150 people, including dozens of victims, many of whom have never shared their heartbreaking stories before, attended the event. Some were there to listen, while others were their to share. For one such woman, who only wanted to be known as Kate, yesterday’s conference was her chance to paint a “real picture” of the suffering she and thousands of others suffered at the hands of their abusers.
At 54, the Derry woman, who was born in Scotland, is still coming to terms with the horrific abuse she endured as a child at Nazareth House children’s home.
A brave Kate explained until yesterday she had never spoken publicly about what had happened to her all those years ago. But, she added, she did so in a bid to encourage others.
John Leatham, who spent his entire childhood and adolescence in religious and state-run homes, also believes an inquiry would serve to help victims.
He says he was physically and emotionally abused while he was under the care of nuns at Nazareth Lodge in Belfast.
Then when he turned 13 he was moved to the De La Salle boys’ home in Kircubbin, Co Down.
It was there he was sexually abused.
This article was found at:
http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/local-national/northern-ireland/child-abuse-victims-united-in-inquiry-call-14970456.html
RELATED ARTICLES:
Northern Ireland clergy abuse survivors petition government for urgent inquiry and compensation
The untold story of abuse in homes run by Sisters of Nazareth in Belfast and Londonderry
Clergy abuse survivors in Northern Ireland feel discriminated by lack of public inquiry similar to Ryan report in Republic
Clergy abuse survivors in Northern Ireland set to launch legal action against religious orders and government
Irish Bishop who reluctantly resigned over abuse scandal claimed he was inexperienced, but was professor of moral theology
Irish clergy abuse survivors outraged over Pope's refusal to fire bishops and take full responsibility for cover-up
Government orders all Irish bishops to submit lists of abuse complaints for national investigation
Pope said to be "disturbed and distressed" over Irish clergy abuse, but no mention of Vatican's role in cover-up
Pope is all talk, no action, over Irish clergy abuse and cover-up by Church hierarchy
Full text of Pope Benedict's so called apology to victims and survivors of Irish clergy abuse
Pope accepts resignation of Irish bishop who was private secretary to 3 popes, but still won't admit Vatican's role in child abuse
Irish abuse survivors ask to meet with Pope's investigators to lobby for better compensation
Survivors' Group Urges Vatican To Act After Irish Abuse Report
Irish priest calls for Archbishops and investigators to pin blame on Vatican for central role in global clergy crimes crisis
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