AN ALTONA Meadows woman, who was molested from age eight to 11 by a priest, says a federal royal commission into sexual abuse by the Catholic Church will weed out paedophiles and protect potential victims.
But Mairead Ashcroft, who will this month address the state parliamentaryinquiry into sex abuse by the clergy, warned it would be a tough time for survivors and urged them to seek help.
“Just imagine your worst nightmare is being forced over and over and over and over on the news,” she said. “That’s OK for me because I’ve come to terms with it and I’m working on it, but for those people who have been holding it a secret — for some of them, decades — it must be stirring them up something shocking.
“Some of them will be overwhelmed and some traumatised, but that’s not the fault of the commission; that’s the fault of their abusers.”
Last week, Liberal frontbencher Joe Hockey argued against a royal commission, telling radio station 3AW that “having a public inquiry would traumatise” victims.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard on Monday announced that a royal commission would investigate child abuse, and how it was dealt with, in churches, schools and foster homes.
Ms Ashcroft, who reported her abuse to police in 2002, labelled Mr Hockey’s comments “naive”.
“Even the [Victorian] inquiry that’s going on now will traumatise victims, but the silence is the most damaging thing and is the thing that will allow it [sexual abuse] to continue within the Catholic Church.”
Ms Aschcroft, an art therapist and post traumatic stress disorder speaker, urged people who were experiencing anxiety to speak to their doctor so they could be referred to mental health practitioners if needed.
Victoria Police is seeking to extradite Ms Ashcroft’s alleged abuser, Brother Bernard Hartman, from the United States.
Three other people have contacted police, alleging the 73-year-old Marianist priest raped them as children or teenagers in the 1970s.
