Gillard's $1.5m Catholic Roman Holiday outrages abuse victims

Tag: australia

Survivors of Clergy Abuse Australia (SCAA) say survivors of sex assault at the hands of priests are outraged by what is seen as Julia Gillard’s buy-back of Catholic votes.

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“Since the announcement of Gillard’s taxpayers donation to fly Catholics to Rome for the Canonisation, emails and phone calls have poured into SCAA’s office. Victims and their supporters are stunned at such a blatant attempt at buying back votes with funds that would be more appropriately spent on groups who actually support victims of catholic priests and brothers!” stated Peter Gogarty, of Australia’s national support and lobby group for victims SCAA.

“SCAA is completely funded by our Founder with the measly gesture she was given by the Church for her years of abuse at the hands of her parish priest, and Julia Gillard can’t even provide a single dollar to support this group or any others like it!” Gogarty continued.

There are thousands of known survivors of clergy about around Australia who could benefit by the $1.5million Gillard has given the richest business in the world. “I’m quite sure that Mary McKillop would be hugely imbarrassed by all of the fuss and expense surrounding her canonisation. And all of us victims are 100% certain that she would prefer that $1.5million go to supporting survivors, instead of flying wealthy catholics to Rome for a holiday!”

SCAA and its national network of survivors and supporters receive no funding from anywhere, including the Catholic church or the government. However, this much needed service (the only of its kind in the country) must continue or “more survivors will die” says Peter Gogarty, himself a survivor.

“For Julia to throw around cash like this so frivolously is a further insult to victims who are struggling simply to make ends meet. Victims are often so damaged that they were unable to complete school and continue on into successful careers, so, in their 40’s and 50’s truly find it difficult to compete for the small amount of jobs available against their younger, more educated peers. The thought of hopping on a plane to Rome is only a dream for these victims.” Peter explained.

The Australian government has not at any point made any attempt to provide funding or support for the countless victims of sex abuse at the hands of the catholic church, so this extravagant offer is further driving the knife into the hearts of thousands of victims.

Catholic victims were also sadly neglected when Kevin Rudd made his public apology to the forgotten Australians. “We are the ‘forgotten Australians that Australia continues to forget!” is a statement often used by SCAA volunteers.

SCAA has made numerous attempts to speak with many members of government to discuss the devastating plight of Catholic victims, and seek some sort of assistance in the form of support/funding, or possibly an apology. Repeatedly their requests for meetings go unresponded to.

It seems that Catholic victims numbers are too few to be included in the Gillard Vote Buying Scheme – thousands of victims will tell you that the $1.5 million is certainly not directed to where Mary McKillop would want it to go.

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