As part of our commitment to being open and transparent, we will provide here information to help keep the community updated about the Inquiry, its report Betrayal of Trust and the response of the Victorian government to its recommendations. Listed below are updates about the Inquiry, its report and recommendations and the response of the Catholic Church in Victoria.
Child Grooming 16 December 2013
The Victorian Government has responded quickly to a key recommendation contained in Betrayal of Trust, the report of the Parliamentary Inquiry into the handling of child abuse by religious and other non-government organisations. It has introduced a Bill into Parliament to make it an offence to groom a child, their family or carer to facilitate sexual abuse of the child.
The Catholic Church in Victoria welcomes the introduction of the grooming offence as an important initiative to protect children and as a deterrent to sexual predators. We are committed to working constructively with government to assist in its implementation.
A person will commit the offence of grooming if they are 18 years of age or older and communicate with a child under 16, their family or with a person having care, supervision or authority in respect of the child, with the intention to facilitate involving the child in a sexual offence.
The offence will apply to any communication which occurs with the intention of making it easier to engage or involve the child in a sexual offence. It will apply to grooming through personal contact, use of the internet or any other means.
Proof that any sexual abuse has occurred or been attempted is not required.
The offence has a maximum penalty of 10 years imprisonment.
The Bill will be debated when the Parliament resumes in 2014. It can be accessed here and the second reading speech of the Attorney General when introducing the Bill on 12 December 2013 can be accessed here.
24 April 2013 The Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry has published the details of organisations that will attend hearings next week, 29 April, 30 April and 3 May as witnesses to the Inquiry. The schedule includes several Catholic organisations. Monday 29 April, Legislative Council Committee Room, Parliament House
Tuesday 30 April, Legislative Council Committee Room, Parliament House
Friday 3 May, Legislative Council Committee Room, Parliament House
Further details and any updates to this schedule - http://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/fcdc/article/1786
First Public Hearing Dates Announced 3 October 2012 The Family and Community Development Committee has announced the following hearing dates for its Inquiry into the handling of child abuse by religious and other organisations:
21 September 2012 The Catholic Archbishop of Melbourne, Denis Hart, announced on behalf of the leaders of the Catholic Church in Victoria that today they would lodge the Church’s submission, Facing the Truth, to the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and other Non-Government Organisations. “We will co-operate fully with the Inquiry,: he said, “and in Facing the Truth we have been open about the horrific abuse that has occurred in Victoria and elsewhere.” See media release. Last updated: 17 December 2013