1. Victims and survivors of child sexual abuse react to their experiences in different ways. Redress therefore takes many forms. It may include seeking an apology from the institution or perpetrator, wanting pastoral support from the Church, as well as reporting the matter to the police or other statutory authority. Compensation (perhaps through legal proceedings) is another form of redress.
2. During our public hearings in this investigation we heard evidence that some within the Church viewed victims and survivors as being motivated by money. For example:
3. Views such as these are misplaced and inaccurate. As Sister Jane Bertelsen (a member of the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors) told us, compensation “very often is not the primary purpose. Victims and survivors want to be believed, they want to be listened to, they want their story to be heard”.[3] Based on his experience as chair of the Survivor Advisory Panel (SAP), David Marshall told us that from victims and survivors:
“One of their key messages … is emphasising … the fact that if people say sorry and they listen, that that’s really crucial. Often compensation, they describe it as a bit of a myth, really. Compensation is often a last resort because no-one is listening.”[4]