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If you haven’t testified as the complainant in a clergy abuse case, I wrote about the process in two articles.
One is pinned.
The other is here.
There are things left out. Like the fact Aitchisons family were allowed to sit behind the prosecution.
/1 https://www.google.com.au/amp/amp.abc.net.au/article/10872444
One is pinned.
The other is here.
There are things left out. Like the fact Aitchisons family were allowed to sit behind the prosecution.
/1 https://www.google.com.au/amp/amp.abc.net.au/article/10872444
Throughout the two days in a remote witness room, his brother & sister were allowed to make faces at me, roll their eyes and generally tried to distract & intimidate me.
Like the fact there was no debriefing or counselling provided afterwards.
/2
Like the fact there was no debriefing or counselling provided afterwards.
/2
Imagine you’re sequestered in a hotel room close to the courts.
You don’t know when you’ll be called, but you’re told to sit tight. You can’t watch tv or the internet.
You have no idea what’s happening but you do know the case has started.
/3
You don’t know when you’ll be called, but you’re told to sit tight. You can’t watch tv or the internet.
You have no idea what’s happening but you do know the case has started.
/3
You also know that the man who raped you as a child is less than a kilometre away. So you can’t go outside, in case you see him.
Imagine, if you can, an environment where you are the only person in self isolation.
Believe me, it’s a completely disorientating experience.
/4
Imagine, if you can, an environment where you are the only person in self isolation.
Believe me, it’s a completely disorientating experience.
/4
After you finish testifying, imagine being so tired, you physically can’t stand up.
You’ve cried uncontrollably in front of a jury of 12, a judge, DPP prosecutor and Defence Lawyer- and their assisting counsel.
In front of court reporters, sheriffs, witness liaison managers.
/5
You’ve cried uncontrollably in front of a jury of 12, a judge, DPP prosecutor and Defence Lawyer- and their assisting counsel.
In front of court reporters, sheriffs, witness liaison managers.
/5
And anyone else in that courtroom. Your attacker.
Not just cried. People have seen you vomiting, having streaming nosebleeds.
They’ve heard you describe multiple rapes at the hands of a priest.
Horrible, graphic, details that society doesn’t ever hear about in the news.
/6
Not just cried. People have seen you vomiting, having streaming nosebleeds.
They’ve heard you describe multiple rapes at the hands of a priest.
Horrible, graphic, details that society doesn’t ever hear about in the news.
/6
This is the reality of being a complainant.
Your attacker, however, is allowed to watch all this.
Imagine how powerful they feel.
Imagine how satisfying it is to these men, who have been so powerful, to watch their victims being effectively tortured by the justice system.
/7
Your attacker, however, is allowed to watch all this.
Imagine how powerful they feel.
Imagine how satisfying it is to these men, who have been so powerful, to watch their victims being effectively tortured by the justice system.
/7
And it is torturous, no matter what the lawyers say in defence of the process.
It is humiliating. Every shred of human dignity is taken away from you, if you want justice.
You may say it’s fair.
Only the strongest cases get to trial.
As the victim, you have to suck it up.
/8
It is humiliating. Every shred of human dignity is taken away from you, if you want justice.
You may say it’s fair.
Only the strongest cases get to trial.
As the victim, you have to suck it up.
/8
Testifying at a trial means you must be coherent, articulate & strong enough to disagree with arguments put to you.
While society’s interest in clergy abuse comes & goes over years, survivors in the justice system wait years.
3 years, 4 months for me.
Life is paused.
/9
While society’s interest in clergy abuse comes & goes over years, survivors in the justice system wait years.
3 years, 4 months for me.
Life is paused.
/9
Societal interest is in very big cases with Cardinals.
It should be.
However, every priest who is jailed for offences against children is a mammoth undertaking.
While people talk about vendettas by police; the truth is police must be objective, otherwise it won’t advance.
/10
It should be.
However, every priest who is jailed for offences against children is a mammoth undertaking.
While people talk about vendettas by police; the truth is police must be objective, otherwise it won’t advance.
/10
It won’t get signed off, because that sign off involves more & more people.
Every stage of a criminal investigation requires checks & balances.
The detectives in my case were professional, removed, friendly but emphasising the need for every aspect of justice to be met.
/11
Every stage of a criminal investigation requires checks & balances.
The detectives in my case were professional, removed, friendly but emphasising the need for every aspect of justice to be met.
/11
That means very little information is passed on.
You won’t know who is interviewed.
What evidence is collected.
Or even when your case has progressed a step.
You might get a phone call from a detective while next to your boss at work.
Or in front of your 9 year old.
/12
You won’t know who is interviewed.
What evidence is collected.
Or even when your case has progressed a step.
You might get a phone call from a detective while next to your boss at work.
Or in front of your 9 year old.
/12
When those calls come, they’re fleeting. You might have to suddenly recall details from a rape, or how to write a Victim Impact Statement.
You’ll learn what Assisting Counsel do, or who your Witness Liaison Manager is, or why it’s so important not to talk to anyone.
/13
You’ll learn what Assisting Counsel do, or who your Witness Liaison Manager is, or why it’s so important not to talk to anyone.
/13
You learn that a witness isn’t necessarily someone who saw the crime, but also includes who knew what, when, how & why.
That can include your spouse.
You may spend years without being able to talk about the case with the person you love most.
That’s really hard.
/14
That can include your spouse.
You may spend years without being able to talk about the case with the person you love most.
That’s really hard.
/14
My case took place in Canberra, 5 minutes drive from Parliament House.
Victoria is different. The procedures are not the same.
However, it’s common knowledge how rare it is to get a successful prosecution of a rape case.
For clergy abuse it’s smaller.
A tiny percentage.
/15
Victoria is different. The procedures are not the same.
However, it’s common knowledge how rare it is to get a successful prosecution of a rape case.
For clergy abuse it’s smaller.
A tiny percentage.
/15
There are really good reasons why complainant testimony isn’t made public.
You may feel entitled to it. That the court of public opinion has a right to every detail.
How much detail, exactly, is enough?
/16
You may feel entitled to it. That the court of public opinion has a right to every detail.
How much detail, exactly, is enough?
/16
This isn’t political, or driven by a religious agenda.
This isn’t about left versus right.
This is about kids who sang in cathedrals when adults we trusted asked us to.
We performed the beautiful music you like to admire on Twitter.
/17
This isn’t about left versus right.
This is about kids who sang in cathedrals when adults we trusted asked us to.
We performed the beautiful music you like to admire on Twitter.
/17
We were talented. Hard working. On scholarships. We were boys and girls who were often friends together.
Whatever state you live in; we are your kids.
So consider; what would you want for your kid, if they were raped?
What does believing them look like?
18/18
Whatever state you live in; we are your kids.
So consider; what would you want for your kid, if they were raped?
What does believing them look like?
18/18
