Faith-based care institutions had higher rates of sexual abuse than state care, the landmark Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care has found.
The inquiry found that Catholic institutions reported the highest levels of sexual abuse, alongside Dilworth School in Auckland and Marylands School in Christchurch.
Additionally, it highlighted how the moral authority of religious leaders had allowed abusers in faith-based institutions to commit offences with impunity.
The landmark Abuse in Care inquiry released its findings today, revealing more than a third of people in state and faith-based institutions between 1950 and 2019 were abused — described as a “disgrace” and a “stain” on the national character.
The commission’s report said that would remain so if the “gross violations” and injustice are not addressed.
Findings on faith-based care have also shed light on the far-reaching consequences, including the breakdown of families when survivors’ experiences weren’t believed.
One survivor Frances Tagaloa, who suffered sexual and emotional abuse at the hands of a Catholic brother from the age of five, emphasised the urgency of addressing this issue.
“I came forward as a faith-based survivor to tell my story because I did not want this abuse to happen to anyone else. This abuse is our country’s shame, but we have an opportunity, right now, to put this right.”
She said the Government “needs to work at speed” to set up a redress system.
The royal commission’s report revealed that religious beliefs were often used to justify abusive actions and silence survivors.