Voiceless Victim

A survivor of clergy child sexual abuse speaks out for those who can't speak for themselves

Voiceless Victim Invited to Tea with the Prime Minister

3 Comments Posted by on January 11, 2013

Who would have imagined as little as twelve months ago, that Australian victims would be about to start work on their submissions to the Royal Commission into institutional child sex abuse we were told so many times would never happen.

And that we would be generally pretty happy with its newly announced Terms of Reference and Commissioners.

And that Australian child sexual abuse victims, heartlessly excluded from the 2008 papal apology in Sydney that was supposedly addressed to us and for our benefit, would be the guests of honour at a morning tea with the Prime Minister.

That, dear friends, is the surreal situation we will find ourselves in tomorrow at Kirribilli House, Sydney.

The cuppa and bikkies we consume tomorrow will not just fill the bellies of the representative few.

They will fill the hearts of all victims with a hitherto foreign emotion.

It is called hope.

We know Julia is using us for a photo opp.

We know there is a healthy dose of political expediency in her announcement.

But at the end of the day, this gutsy woman, Julia Gillard, was the first Prime Minister in Australian history to make the call to a Cardinal Prince of the church and tell him “You’re not going to like this mate, but I’m doing it anyway.”

I will carry all of you with me in my heart tomorrow.

You will all be there, where you deserve to be.

Guests of honour, invited by the Prime Minister.

No longer neglected.

No longer abandoned.

No longer voiceless.

Catholic Church manipulation of politicians, child protection, child sexual abuse scandal, Prime Minister Julia Gillard announces Royal Commission, Royal Commission Australia, victims reaction to papal apology , ,

3 responses to “Voiceless Victim Invited to Tea with the Prime Minister”

  1. ladyrob January 12, 2013 at 6:52 am

    THE GENERALS ARE MEETING THE PRIME MINISTER 13th January 2013

    The Prime Minister Julia Gillard is to receive at Kirribilli House, the “generals” who’ve led the campaign against the sexual abuse of minors!
    I am a War baby. I am a victim of child sexual, physical and psychological abuse. I spent my schooldays in boarding schools… was abused by nuns then abducted by nuns into convent life at 16 after being groomed for 8 months. I was manipulated into a life I’d never wanted and had not chosen. I was initiated by the very unholy means of being sexually molested by the founder of the order who had me brought before him so to claim his prize of his first ” Girl from OZ”. From then onwards all doors were open to any frocked man whose appetites were irepressable. The confessional room was a dark and sinister place where I, not the priest, was bound to silence!

    BUT TODAY, today, feels like the day WW II ended and I can shout!

    I can see myself as a tiny child again watching with my mother the “Newsreel” at the picture theatre with the people out in the streets and all the streamers and papers falling from the sky. I can see people jumping up and down hugging each other, crying and laughing at the same time and dancing in the streets.
    I can see that forever famous figure of the man in his tattered suit and hat skipping and leaping down the street flanked by joyful people all ‘over the moon’.
    Althought their faces were furrowed by pain, loss deprivation, bereavement over the deaths of their loved ones, of their brave warriors, sons, husbands, brothers, fathers and although some had perpetual reminders of the horror in the eyes of those who’d been sent home forever lost in the tortures inflicted by “the yellow menace” in their minds…here they were, their clothes patched and mended from wartime deprivation, their shoes stuffed with newspapers, women with their lisle stockings darned…they rejoiced and shouted…”The War is over” “Its Victory Day”.
    This is how I feel today! HOPE!
    The war against survivors of the most vile, silent and insidious act of dominance is over.
    No more will ” the holy menace” of the heirarchy stifle the cries of those they oppressed and of those they mesmerised into compliance and helplessness.
    Today voicelessvictim and those whove worked and campaigned tirelessly, many despite their own anguish have triumphed!
    TODAY is a good day! HOPE is on the horizon…yet I know the evil in the Catholic Church will not surrender its sword of oppression, will not concede defeat, will use its vast financial resources to defend the indefenceable…so I still have my fears deep in the pit of my dungeon and the demons there feed on them…but TODAY I will HOPE!

    Reply
    • voicelessvictim February 4, 2013 at 10:19 am

      Dear Robin,

      How inspiring to hear that recent events have given you hope and relief from your decades of oppression. And how exciting that your amazing story of survival, a story the church are so determined to silence, will finally be told to a Royal Commission.

      VV

      Reply
  2. ladyrob January 12, 2013 at 4:10 pm

    Congratulations to all those who put their shoulders to the immoveable object, bowled it over and made this day happen. They say that what goes around comes around…and I’ve seen it happen…but I believe it needs to be worked at and that it takes guts and determination, hard work, tears, frustration, unwavering courage…and heaps of selfless giving, each according to their ability without being self seeking, puffed up and without comparing themselves to others…(for there will always be people of greater and lesser ability than ourselves). The soul qualities that have brought this day into reality are sincerely caring, have a balanced perspective, a truly genuine concern for fellow sufferers, a realistic outlook. VoicelessVictim never hangs up on you because of a more pressing call…a more pressing demand on their time or… because you do not boost their ego…(which is often confused by some as “giving support”.) You are important to VoicelessVictim, really, of course they have time for you! Congratulations! These are the qualities that are apparent to me and are those that always bear fruit. Now we wait and watch the fruits of all this caring and labour unfold. With love, respect and admiration – Robin

    Reply

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