MSA

Ribbons have been tied to the fence of the Catholic Cathedral in downtown Auckland by attendees and witnesses from the Royal Commission into Abuse.

Survivors and supporters walked the short distance from the Rydges Hotel, where the Royal Commission into abuse in state and faith-based care was holding the final day of its first public hearing.

Ribbons were said to be tied in support of the nameless victims still suffering from the effects of abuse.

Cathedral Dean, Father Peter Tipene also tied a ribbon to the fence. He said it was in support of the victims.

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In a report by the Ministry of Justice, it is revealed that the majority of 23,000 sexual violence incidents reported to police during the past five years were experienced by children or young people.

The report also reveals that for every 100 sexual violence incidents reported to the police, only 31 made it to court, 11 resulted in a conviction and six in imprisonment. The report analysed 23,739 incidents that were reported between July 2014 and June 2018. The figures will now be updated annually.

The majority of victims were females and the incidents involved someone they knew. About 55 per cent were for indecent assault offences and 43 per cent were for sexual violation (including rape). Indecent assault – any unwanted or forced sex act or behaviour – was reported by 67 per cent of victims aged 17 years and under.

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Two lawyers who have represented more than 1000 abuse survivors have told the Royal Commission no victim has ever received adequate compensation for what they suffered.

Two lawyers who have represented more than 1000 abuse survivors have told the Royal Commission no victim has ever received adequate compensation for what they suffered.

The inquiry into abuse in state and faith-based care has entered its second week of hearings in Auckland.

Law firm Cooper Legal is one of only a few involved in helping survivors of institutional care to take civil claims against the state and churches for abuse they suffered as children and vulnerable adults. The firm represents 1250 clients, aged 18 to 80 and has 1400 open files, a number now growing.

About 1100 claims have been settled with the ministries of Social Development, Health and Education, as well as faith-based institutions, with payments so-far totalling nearly $23 million.

Ms Cooper said by far the most common complaints in psychiatric hospitals were severe physical assaults at the hands of staff and other patients and sexual violation and abuse. She said complaints were not dealt with properly, which exposed vulnerable children to further abuse. She also said the culture of violence included initiation beatings, which occurred at virtually every residence in the country.

The lawyers’ said a reckoning with the truth and a commitment to both healing the past and changing the future will take more than legal action, as structural, long-term change and commitment will take many generations.

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Less than a third of sexual violence cases reported to the police make it court, according to a new report released by the Ministry of Justice.

Less than a third of sexual violence cases reported to the police make it to court, according to a new report released by the Ministry of Justice.

The government and advocacy groups say progress is being made as just 11 percent of sexual violence reports made to police between July 2014 and June last year resulted in a conviction.

Key findings from the report:

• Of the sexual violence victimisations reported to police, more than three-quarters (77 percent) occurred when the victim was aged 24 years or less
• For 63 percent the victim was a child or young person aged 17 years or younger
• Females experienced 87 percent of the reported victimisations and males 13 percent
• 37 percent had police action taken against a perpetrator
• 11 percent resulted in a conviction
• 6 percent had a prison sentence.
• 56 percent of reported victimisations had an investigation undertaken but Police were unable to proceed against a perpetrator at that time

One slither of hope in the report was that in the last year police saw a 34 percent increase in the number of investigations resulting in court action.

The government will be introducing legislation into Parliament this year to address some of the barriers victims face. The report stated it was estimated that less than 10 percent of sexual violence was reported to police.

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Two lawyers who represent claimants who were abused while in state or faith-based care say the number of people who have come forward is growing.

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