As researchers investigating the child sexual abuse crisis in religious organisations across the Hunter area, we are well aware that this region is no stranger to child sexual abuse, having been identified as an epicentre of child harm particularly in the Anglican and Catholic churches.
Two public hearings during the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in 2016 and the NSW Special Commission of Inquiry in 2014 clearly demonstrated the trauma and devastation that victims and families suffered.
The final report of the royal commission made clear that Catholic leaders needed to change the way they handled complaints from victims ensuring that those who were most harmed had recourse to assistance in all areas of their lives.
While church leaders have indicated their commitment for victims to receive the help they need, events of recent months have left many people wondering about the seriousness of this intent.
In particular, the importance of notifying victims when perpetrators die.
In April, Vincent Ryan, a convicted paedophile priest died at the age of 83.
Although church managers were aware of Ryan's offending from early in his tenure as a priest, they failed to intercept his behaviour and to protect children.
The damage to victims and families has been catastrophic with multiple suicides, early deaths, and impaired lives.
Following his death, no communication was made to victims and their families.
Indeed, the opposite occurred - the church stayed silent - repeating the experience of the way that perpetrators were historically managed by church leaders.
In July, Bob O'Toole, chair of the main Newcastle victim support group CAN, found out by accident from a Catholic priest, that Ryan had died.
This was well known news among church clerics.
Mr O'Toole became increasingly concerned with the impact this news would have on survivors and moved immediately to tell the community.
Many people were angry that they had not been notified, and some survivors experienced re-traumatisation on hearing the news.
In the absence of appropriate policy, the executive of CAN came together to write a protocol that could be used by Catholic (and other) organisations to deliver news regarding perpetrator movements and deaths.
They duly sent it to the Administrator of the Catholic Diocese and copied to relevant healing and support managers but have yet to receive a response.
Last week, perpetrator Francis William Cable, a previous Marist Brother known as Brother Romuald, died in jail.
He taught at Marist schools in Maitland and Hamilton in the 1970s and '80s.
It is likely that he abused hundreds of boys, and court evidence showed he was violent and sadistic.
He was first jailed in 2015 and remained there as further charges were laid and court cases ensued.
On hearing of his death last week, Mr O'Toole contacted the Marist Brothers to verify this.
The Marists do not have a protocol about communicating this type of news, however they were interested in the protocol developed by CAN and it has been listed on the agenda for the next meeting of the Provincial Council.
They did issue a general apology but did not contact survivors individually nor offer further support.
Given the traumatic and lasting impacts of child sexual abuse, informing victims, their families and indeed the community, of the death of perpetrators constitutes a basic human right.
Yet, it is evident from the response of the local Catholic diocese and the Marist Brothers that they have failed to provide a protocol setting out how deaths of perpetrators can be carefully communicated to victims and their families.
Once again leaving victims feeling marginalised and hurt.
Worse than this, by not communicating this news, it is left to victims to find out by accident, forcing them to bear the burden of communicating the news to each other.
We have to ask, what has changed in the way that institutions are treating victims?
It appears very little, leaving the community to manage the burden of trauma once again.
Kathleen McPhillips (University of Newcastle) and Jodi Death (Queensland University of Technology) are currently researching institutional child sexual abuse in the Anglican and Catholic churches in the Hunter region
Lifeline: 13 11 14
WHAT DO YOU THINK? We've made it a whole lot easier for you to have your say. Our new comment platform requires only one log-in to access articles and to join the discussion on the Newcastle Herald website. Find out how to register so you can enjoy civil, friendly and engaging discussions. Sign up for a subscription here.
