RCNI Press Release 09 November 2005
Rape Crisis Network welcomes HSE’s review of overdue Brothers of Charity abuse inquiry
The Rape Crisis Network Ireland (RCNI) welcomes the HSE review of the long overdue, Brothers of Charity abuse inquiry. The RCNI seek assurances that this review will deliver the report without further delay and explain why the inquiry has already taken seven years.
Fiona Neary, RCNI Executive Director, said ‘it is with great relief that the RCNI welcomes the move by the HSE to commence a review of its inquiry into allegations of abuse in Brothers of charity care settings. So far this inquiry has been marked by its lack of public accountability. This inquiry has already continued for 7 years and we are now told that it will take one more year to deliver its report. No interim reports have been delivered. The review needs to identify what has delayed this inquiry’s work, was it lack of resources, lack of will, by design or for some other reasons.
What is particularly of concern is that many of the victims in this instance are people with intellectual disabilities who we know are particularly vulnerable to abuse. We need reassurances that the ‘crisis of disbelief’ for people with intellectual disability who are abused has not seeped into the inquiry process.
It is a disgrace that full, open and accountable mechanisms to ensure standards of care are not yet in place. An independent inspectorate for residential services for adults does not currently exist. This is simply not good enough.
Worryingly we suspect that victims are only now being apprised of their rights with regard the residential redress board, when the deadline is the 15th of December 2005. The causes for the lack of urgency shown by this inquiry must be revealed if we are to be reassured that the best interests and the rights of all those involved are being fully respected.’
Notes and Statistics:
• The RCNI is the national forum of Rape Crisis Centres, which provides a strong voice for survivors and is a catalyst for social change to end rape and all forms of sexual violence.
• The most conservative estimates put the risk of abuse for people with intellectual disability at 8 per cent higher than the non disabled population (Browne and Turk 1994).
• The residential redress board freephone number is 1800 200086
• Schor 1987 described the ‘crisis of disbelief’ about sexual abuse for learning disabled as well as for non-learning disabled adolescents (Dunne and Power, 1990)
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