Report - 08:50, 2006-Jun-30

4th April 2005

Peter O'Callaghan Q.C.
Commission into Sexual Abuse
Owen Dixon Chambers West
18/15 205 William Street
Melbourne Vic 3000

Counselling Report
Re: Mr [JB] D.O.B. 27.12.48

This report was prepared to support [JB]'s complaint of childhood sexual abuse by a Catholic priest, to the Commission into Sexual Abuse, Mr Peter O'Callaghan Q.C.

In a letter dated 12th January 2005 to Mr John [S] from The [*] Centre Toowoomba, it was suggested that a starting point with [JB]'s case might be to obtain a report from myself, as [JB]'s counsellor.  After John [S] discussed this with [JB] and myself, [JB] has agreed for me to provide you with this report.  I have attached his authority form for release of information.

I have obtained this information from [JB]'s counselling sessions, Toowoomba police and outside resources.  I am aware that this amount of detail although helpful for [JB]'s counselling may not be relevant to your investigation.  If you require any further information please let me know.  The report is structured under the following headings:
1.    Referral
2.    Family background and history
3.    [JB]'s allegations and descriptions
4.    [JB]'s answers to your questions from correspondence 12-8-03
5.    Impact of alleged sexual abuse on [JB]
6.    Continued counselling intervention.

I begin this report with a quote from a "Statement of Witness" dated 10-10-2003 given to the Toowoomba Police Station because I feel it sums up where [JB] is still today.

Extract from statement:
"I have come forward to give a statement now because I believe that what has happened to me has affected my life and relationships.  I feel that I need some closure on the matter so I can get on with my life.  The abuse has affected me emotionally and until I can resolve the issues, I am unable to work properly and function as a normal person.  I feel that to help me overcome the psychological damage that the abuse has caused, I would like the person responsible to be brought to justice."

1. Referral
1.1    [JB] was referred to me for interpersonal counselling by John [S] from The Advocacy and Support Centre Toowoomba on the 11th March 2004.  John [S] had assisted [JB] with legal advice and correspondence with your office and the Commission into Sexual Abuse. 
[JB] has continued his counselling with me on a regular basis at [*]  Toowoomba, Queensland.
1.2    I have been in private practice in Toowoomba for 10 years and prior to this I was State Program Designer for Family Planning Queensland.  I am a specialist counsellor in Sexuality and relationships and have a Masters Degree in Social Ecology (Critical Perspective in Psychological Practice) through the University of Western Sydney and a Diploma in Sexual Health Counselling through the Australasian College of Sexual Health Physicians.  I am the [*]  .

2. Family Background and History
2.1 [JB] was born on 27th December 1948 at Yea Hospital in Victoria.  His      parents' names were [*] (nee [*]) and [*].   Both of [JB]'s parents are deceased.
2.2    [*]  lived in [*] , Yea with his parents and ten brothers and sisters.  The birth sequence of his siblings is: [*] .
2.3    The [*]  family lived directly opposite the Sacred Heart Catholic Church in The Parade, Yea.  [JB]  is unsure of his old home number but his home was the third from the corner.
2.4    [JB]  and his siblings attended the Sacred Heart Convent School until they were thirteen and then went to Yea High School.  The Convent School was beside the Catholic Church, the presbytery where the priest lived and the nuns' convent.
2.5    On completion of high school [JB]  began an apprenticeship with the local newspaper, the Yea Chronicle.
2.6    [JB] 's father [*]  was very involved with the Catholic Church and its priests.  [*] was very strict and physically abusive of his children.  He set very high standards of behaviour for his children and demanded a place of authority with his family.  [JB]  and his siblings were punished by their father by being beaten with a horsewhip, father's belt and a stinger.  This abuse/punishment was often performed on [JB]  in front of the local priest.  His pride in this church and close relationship with the local priest were held in high regard.  [JB]  spoke of his father always wanting to please the local priest who he would often invite for meals at the [family name] family home.
2.7    [JB]  and some of his older siblings were involved daily with chores for the priest and nuns.  [JB]  recalls having to run messages to people's places, having to purchase and deliver alcohol and general cleaning inside and in the church grounds.  The [family name]  children were the local workers.  [JB] 's parents insisted the children help out at the church and support the priests and nuns.
2.8    The [family name]  boys were expected to be altar boys.  [JB]  feels that he had no choice and remembers having to be available for church services, funerals, weddings, baptisms and special events.  The [family name]  boys lived closest to the church and were called upon regularly.
2.9    Due to the number of children in the [family name]  family and the degree of physical and emotional abuse [JB]  received from his father, his mother organised for [JB]  to live with Herbie Henry Kemp and his brother who lived up the road from their home.  The Kemp brothers' home was on the same side as the church.
Herbie was also very involved with the Catholic Church and was a member of the Knights of the Southern Cross.  [JB]  had explained to Herbie about his sexual abuse by the visiting priest and also of other abuse by the local priest and nuns.
[JB]  has warm memories of his childhood with Herbie and recalls the steps that Herbie took to report [JB] 's sexual abuse as well as the abuse of [JB] 's sister [family member name]  by another priest.  [family member name]'s abuse occurred approximately eight days before Herbie Kemp's death.  Herbie was aggressive towards the local priest regarding [JB]  and [family member name]'s abuse.  Herbie Henry Kemp died 22nd March 1962 buried at Yea 26/3/62 aged 72 years.
2.10Map of Yea and [JB] 's memory of Convent.  I have included this map that [JB]  has  marked while explaining the places of abuse with me.

3. [JB]'s allegations of sexual abuse
3.1 When [JB]  first presented for counselling, he appeared very anxious, nervous and tense.  He spoke of his previous counselling experiences and how this had left him with feelings of being the sexual abuse victim again. I reassured [JB]  that we would develop a safe counselling relationship before we addressed his issues of sexual abuse.  I informed [JB]  of the different counselling approaches required when working within the legal system compared to the healing counselling process.  I reassured him that we would progress at a gentle rate until he trusted my skills himself and his self protection and respect counselling in the area of sexual abuse requires that the client is not re-abused by recalling their stories.  It involves meeting the client where they are and slowly helping them to make sense if possible of their abuse and the options they have available to deal with it. After a number of sessions with [JB]  and feeling I was engaging sensitively with     him, [JB]  disclosed a number of abusive situations with priests and nuns from the Yea Catholic Church and Convent. 
3.2 The following is a summary of [JB] 's allegations.
a.    Travelling in a car to the Convent for a church service with a visiting priest.
-near the turn off to Gin Gin forced to watch visiting priest masturbating himself and fingering [JB] 's rectum
-in the hills towards Cheviot he was forced into anal sex where the priest penetrated [JB] 's rectum
-after a church service at the Convent [JB]  tried to run away but was forced into the priest's car by three adult men.  He was punched and had his right foot slammed in the car door.
-travelling home at a park at Molesworth was forced to have oral sex with the priest.  [JB]  tried to run away and hide but the priest found him and continued on the trip.
-at a small park near Yea where the trees spell Y.E.A.  [JB]  was raped anally again.

[JB]  described the visiting priest as young (under 30 years of age), round face, slightly tall.  His memory is not clear of the priest's appearance.
[JB] 's description of this event in his words is as follows:
"From my first memory, the Catholic Church played a huge part in my family's life.  Also in the same area as the church, were the presbytery, the school and then the Nun's convent.  All of these places were in the same grounds.

Since I could recall, my siblings and I would go to the church grounds every day to help collect eggs, chop wood and do any other tasks that the priests or nuns asked us to do.  The priest who was resident at the time would often come over to our house for a meal.  From a very early age, I was an alter boy at the church.  I did not have a choice in this and it was expected that I would perform this task.  Being an alter boy meant that I was "on call" every day to help out at the church services.  These services included funerals, weddings and baptisms.  I would set up the church, light candles and assist the priest with his duties.

I can remember when I was about eight or nine years old, which was in 1956 or 1957, there was a visiting or relieving priest at Sacred Heart.  This priest was quite young, maybe under thirty years old.  This priest was not overweight, and my memory of him was that he was quite tall.  I don't have a visual recollection of his exact appearance.

I can remember a Sunday when the relieving priest was there.  I was able to help him as the alter boy at a service in Caveat, which is a rural location about thirty minutes drive from Yea.  After the local 10.20am service in Yea, I went in the priest's car for the drive to Caveat via Gin Gin for the church service there.  The vehicle that the priest was driving had a bench seat in the front and the hand brake was on the left hand side of the steering wheel and it was one that you pulled out from the dash.

There were only two of us in the car on the trip to Caveat.  I remember the road to Gin Gin was sealed and then it became a dirt road for most of the rest of the trip.  On the trip to Caveat, I can clearly remember that the priest was masturbating in the car.  The priest was wearing some type of white clothing.  I could clearly see the priest's penis while he was masturbating.  The priest was talking about religious issues while he was masturbating.  Some of the stuff he was saying was about God and his children.  The priest starting doing this just after the turn off to Gin Gin.  He stopped the car near the bridge across the Goulburn River near Gin Gin.  The priest continued to masturbate himself there.  He then drove on.  When we got further into the hills towards Cheviot, he stopped the car somewhere there.  I have a memory of my bottom stinging and burning at this point and that I shouldn't talk to him anymore.  I also remember saying to the priest something like "My Mum will be angry because my underwear is all bloody."  I can't remember anything actually happening there, but I know something did.  I think I have blocked this memory out.  After we stopped here for a while, the trip continued until we got to Caveat.

A church service was conducted by the priest at Caveat and I performed the duties of the alter boy.  After the service finished I ran from the back end of the church.  About three boys ran after me and chased me.  The priest had sent them to get me.  The boys caught me near the Seymour Road after I had hidden amongst the trees.  The boys, who were about twelve or thirteen years old dragged me back to the church.  There were at least four of them from what I recall.

I kept trying to run away but the boys stopped me each time.  I stood quietly at the front of the church where the priest was saying farewell to the parishioners.  I then ran off again and ended up hiding in what I call the "grotto" which was a rock base with a Madonna statue positioned within the rocks.  The boys found me, but they couldn't get me out and so the priest organised for three men to come down and get me out.  I remember that I lost my shoes at around this point.

The three men grabbed me and dragged me out.  One of the men punched into me really hard and it took all three of them to put me into the priest's car.  I screamed for help, but no help came.  The men kept slamming the door onto me feet as I was trying to kick the door out.  The priest was already in the car waiting to drive off.  Once I was back in the car, he drove off and headed towards Molesworth, which is a little township on the way back to Yea.  This was a different way home to the way we went up to the Caveat.

The road is dirt and windy and at the point where I could see the little township of Molesworth, I jumped out of the car as it slowed down.  I tried to run, but my foot was really sore.  I crashed into a rock embankment and ended up in the gutter on the left hand side of the road.  I think I hit my head and was knocked out for a bit.  I saw the car was stopped and the passenger door was wide open.  The priest got out of the car and came over towards me.  So I scrambled to the other side of the road and down into some clumpy, tussocky grass.  I crawled into the grass to hide from the priest.

The priest couldn't see me for a while, but I could see that he had a bible in his hand.  The priest was going on about getting into trouble.  There was a car that came down the road, going the same way that we were going.  The priest started to read from the bible and pace up the road.  The car stopped for a minute there and then went on.  Whilst the priest had been talking to the people in the car, I ran back towards the Caveat way.  I hid again in the grass and I was about twenty metres down from the road edge and about one hundred metres away from the priest's car.

I was curled up trying to hide and the priest came up to me.  He was talking about tiger snakes and "smoking me out".  He was also going on about me getting into trouble for running away.  Then things went quiet and I just lay there.  Next thing, the priest grabbed my white top and tried to pull me up.  I pulled away and me doing this tore my top.  I ran straight down the hill and tripped in the grass.  I banged my head on a rock and knocked myself out.

The next thing I remember is being back in the car at the Lagoon Park at Molesworth.  The park has a lagoon and the road comes around that there are trees around the parkland.  There is a picnic area there.  The car was parked there and the priest was still in the driver's seat.  I then remember being made to give the priest oral sex.  I was on my knees on the floor in the middle of the dash area.  The handbrake was in my back area.  I can remember a choking feeling and coughing.  I can remember another car came into the park's area.  The priest then got his foot and jammed me down underneath the handbrake so I couldn't be seen.  A person came over to the car and the priest was talking to that person.  While he was talking to that person, I was curled up on the floor.  I believe the person talking to the priest would have seen me.  I was crying then.  I can recall the priest saying something like that I had been in an accident and he was taking me to the hospital.

The priest then drove off from there and the man that the priest was talking to just stook there while he drove off.  I remember looking out the left hand side of the car and I could see the man standing there with a blue shirt on and his wife sitting in their car. From there the priest drove to a park on the outskirts of Yea where the trees are planted to spell "YEA".  The priest stopped the car there for a while and I think I was on the floor when we were parked here.  I don't know why I was on the floor, but I can remember my head being in the corner of the car under the dash.  The priest then drove up towards home and when we got up to The Parade Hill, as he turned left, I got out of the car and hid in the culvert that went underneath the road.  I got out of the car while it was still moving, but only slow.  The priest drove down the far end of the culvert and as he came back around, I was backing myself out of the culvert.  I ran and hid behind a pine tree in the centre of the road.  This tree was in front of the [ name]'S house.  The priest walked up to the car and put my shoes on the roadway.  The priest then drove into the church presbytery, which is a short distance away.

I then got my shoes and run home.  I can remember that as soon as I got home, I said something to my Mum about what had happened.  My father got angry with me.  Mum did go across the road and confronted the priest about what I had said.  From what my Mum told me, the priest denied doing anything to me.  Mum never liked this particular priest after this and on one occasion he came over for lunch, she was rather rude towards him.

I know that Mum spoke to an elderly fellow by the name of Herbie KEMP about what had happened and he was a member of the "Knights of the Southern Cross".  The "Knights of the Southern Cross" is like a secret society within the Catholic Church.  I believe that Herbie spoke with other members of this group to try and do something about the priest, and this caused the Bishop to arrive sometime after that.  I can remember this being a pretty short space of time after what had happened to me.

From my memory of what happened, the priest was sent to Sunbury or Kilmore region in Victoria.  I also know that my Mum spoke with the local policeman in Yea who was [ name].  I think that [ name] was a Catholic also and was threatened with ex-communication if he took any further action.

When I was about fourteen or fifteen years old and working at Yea Chronicle, a priest who I believe to be [name] came to see me.  [name] is the son of my godmother Mrs [name] whose first name I cannot remember.  Mrs [name] used to come to church and I remember her giving me biscuits a lot.  [name]  became a Catholic priest and he was around my brother [family member name]'s age.  He would have been in his mid twenties when he came to visit me.

I was at work and [name] came in wearing a priest's uniform. I didn't say anything to him but he wanted to talk to me about the priest that molested me.  I wasn't talking to him and then he patted me on the shoulder.  I then let fly and abused him and started shouting and screaming at him.  People came into the room to see what was going on.  [name] then left my workplace.  I never saw this person again.

3.2
b.    In the Convent at Yea:
-allegations of being tied up, held and raped by a priest -one of [JB] 's memories in the convent was: "The bed I had the nightmare about was in the convent - it was a wooden ended - high at the head - white sheets and a grey/blue blanket and a small similar coloured rug on the floor at the middle of the bed - small wooden dresser - crucifix on the wall- the bed ran East West with the head at the East end again the hallway wall - the door was on the North side - so that when you went in the bed was on the left - the room was not very wide - the priest would come in after I was in there and he would talk to the nun (in the same way that I wrote about when [family member name] came - like I was not there - they would talk and laugh quietly - I would be sitting on the bed at the foot end - sitting on my hands (under me, together -not sitting on them from the side like I sometimes do they were sort of behind me - with my head down - I can see my clothes on the floor - the nun would have been talking to me before the priest came in (feeling of being that small child and seeing it now, how she spoke was all about doing things for the priest and what a nice person he was - the wine was on the little wooden dresser."

c.    In the Presbytery
-allegations of being made to watch a priest have intercourse with a nun during her period time -being grabbed and held by priests and nuns

d.    At the school
Because [JB]  had spoken out about his alleged abuse to his parents, the priest and Herbie Kemp he believes he received the following abuse by the nuns at the school.  [JB] 's allegations in his own words by the nun's were:
"being beaten around face and head with a leather strap beaten across the back with a leather strap fingers and ears chopped with a steel edged ruler hit with open hand across the face  dragged by the hair - can recall three occasions dragged by the ear - numerous times having to place fingers under lid of desk while nun sat on desk lid having to place fingers under lid of desk while nun slammed lid shut hit over the head and face with school books trapped in class room and hit over the head and back with wooden T square and chased and beaten with leather strap beaten across the back of legs with stick and bramble bushes-many occurrences having a note sent home or instructions via brothers/sisters for my father to whip me-numerous times having nuns encourage other pupils to beat me several occasions where priest talked with nun who then instigated other pupils to beat me verballed, ostracised, intimidated, ridiculed, held up as an example of a wicked and evil boy, told that I must not be my mother/father's child -was the child of the devil or a little Hitler-denied involvement in many activities, classes and sports-used as convenient slave for domestic tasks for both presbytery and convent both during school hours and after school hours - daily basis

3.3 Through [JB] 's verbal recollections and work he has written for me, I have found his stories to be consistent.  When [JB]  is recalling memories of his abuse, he becomes very emotional almost unable to speak, cries and sometimes holds his breath.  He is most emotional when he recalls asking for help from his family and the nuns and their constant labelling of him as a liar.   I believe [JB] 's mother [name] did believe [JB] 's stories and she did seem to be trying to get help but her husband's strict and cruel punishment of [JB]  was too  difficult and powerful for her to oppose.

3.4[JB]  has attempted to gather information to identify the visiting priest and the local      priest of Yea.  [JB]  was able to gather information from the State Library of
    Queensland.  I have enclosed photocopies of this information.  *information on the local priests of Yea for 1957, 1958, 1962, 1963 & 1964 *[JB]  during his research found out that Father John Kevin O'Donnell had pleaded guilty   to indecent assault and that some of his assaults occurred in the Seymour district which   is close to the Yea area.  The name did not mean anything to [JB] but he was   keen to find out if he had ever visited Yea.   [JB]  found the following information from the internet and I have enclosed his findings   for your information.

http://www.eros.com.au/hypocrites2.php

Melbourne priest, Father John Kevin O'Donnell, pleaded guilty to 12 counts of indecent assault on 10 boys and two girls under the age of 16 between 1946 and 1977.  During sentencing, Judge Kellam told O'Donnell he had committed an "audacious and rapacious breach of your obligations to these children and their parents as their parish priest".  The counts of indecent assault occurred in Chelsea, Seymour, Tallarook, Dandenong, Hastings, Rosebud and Oakleigh and all of O'Donnell's victims were students at schools attached to his parish - some were altar boys.  O'Donnell received a total sentence of 39 months jail in 1995.

4. Answering your questions from your letter dated 12th August 2003.
I encouraged [JB]  to attempt to answer your questions and expand on them as best be could.  [JB]  emailed his answers to me on 22nd February 2005. 

Can you give details of where your parents and you lived and how you came to be in Yea - in short a history of your stay in Yea.
I lived on "The Parade", Yea.  Directly opposite the church.  I was born in Yea and lived there in the same house until I was around 18 years of age.

Can you recall who was the parish priest at Yea at the time of the visit of the priest referred to?
No

Was the latter substituting for the parish priest or was he simply a visiting priest?
Substituting priests were referred to as visiting priests - a priest who was not the current priest who conducted services at the Church altogether with or in the place of the resident priest was referred to as a visiting priest.

Can you recall how you came to be appointed an altar boy and by whom?
No.  There was no option or choice offered in this regard.  I have observed a process whereby nuns would deem it suitable that a child become an altar boy and relayed this to the child's parents.  I am not aware of any occasion where a child was "nominated" to became an altar boy who was permitted choice in that matter.  To refuse such a request would and did cause individual children to be singled out and ostracised by nuns who encouraged other children to follow their example and to also ridicule the children and the parents of children who did not wish to become altar boys.  Today I would use the term blackmail and/or intimidation with threat to describe this process.
I cannot recall specifically the process by which I became an altar boy.  It was something that I had no choice or opportunity for decision in.  My only recollection is of my mother telling me that the nuns had said it was a time I became one.  It was in part through that I learned of the pressures and ridicule that was employed if a parent or child rejected the decision of nuns or priests in that regard.

When you state that you were accused and punished for attempts to speak out by whom were you punished and what were your attempts to speak out?
My attempt to speak out was after the journey to Caveat.  I related parts of the events to my mother.  She in turn spoke with my father and visited the presbytery to take the matter up with the priest. 
He returned with her and spoke at length with my father who then in the company of and with the encouragement of the priest proceeded to thrash me.  It was at the priest's request that I receive additional punishment for telling such lies about him and the holy church.  On each occasion that I attempted to tell of my ordeal with him he would shout that I was a child of the devil and that I was evil and that no-one should ever believe a word from my mouth.  This process continued for some period of time until I became mute on the matter.  The process was conducted in the following way.  When I had stopped crying enough for him (the priest) to make himself heard, he would ask me what happened on that day - on each occasion where I began to relate what had happened to me he would instruct my father to whip me.  I was not permitted to say what had happened to me and as on each occasion I attempted to I was whipped.  When I was offered the choice of "telling the truth" "that nothing had happened"  by the priest and that if I did say those words and if I did say that I was an evil child and if I said that I would go to hell for telling lies about the priest - then the beatings would stop.

I was ridiculed from the pulpit and in front of the other children at the school, they were told that I was not to be believed and that I had an evil mind that was full of impure thoughts and actions and neighbours and children (including my own brothers and sisters) were warned that to play or associated with me would endanger them and in turn cause them to be brought to account with the church.

This priest and nuns would become my accusers through this process, which was repeated on sufficient occasions through school classes that I gained a reputation throughout the town of Yea as a child and then as a teenager who was a danger to those I attempted to associate with.  This was not confined to the Catholics of the town.  I encountered this as a result of this process from people of other religions as well.

When you speak of a trip to Caveat with a priest on Sunday afternoon do you recall whether that was for the purpose of visiting the church.  What was the reason you were going to Caveat?  I note that you say you were showing him the way because he was a young priest.
Yes, the purpose was to act as altar boy at the Caveat church on that day.  The reason for leaving early was to ensure we arrived in time.  I was to direct the priest to the church at Caveat as he said he had not been that way before.  At no time did I give directions to this priest and to how to get to Caveat, he was aware of the stopping places at the Goulburn river where he stopped and masturbated.  He drove and knew which way to go.  He made mention of travelling there from Seymour and that he had not travelled the Molesworth road.  He seemed to be familiar with many of the parishioners at Caveat.  I believe the instructions I was given in regards showing him the way to Caveat were at his behest as a means of encouraging me to go as I had not been able to convince my parents to let me stay home - I had been in tears and was aware that this priest had previously touched me in ways that felt wrong.

I have endeavoured to ascertain from the existing administrator of the Yea parish as to whether there are any records, which would assist me with the identity of the young priest.
As part of my punishment for making accusations against this priest I was effectively made into a messenger/chore slave of both nuns and priests.  One of those tasks I had to
Perform was to carry the Bishop's luggage and to carry several boxes of what today I would describe as records and place these into the boot of the Bishop's car.  The Bishop had repeatedly assured the priest that he would "take great care of them".

Can you provide any further detail of the fact that the priest organised three or four men to catch you and put you in the car?
After running several times from the church and being caught and returned I managed to lodge myself behind a statue of the Madonna in a stone grotto - I was approached by several men who blocked any escape route I may have had and was dragged from behind the statue - I screamed for help.  Despite my pleas for help I was manhandled and punched heavily in the back - I was stunned and winded and was pushed into the car -I attempted to fight my way out by pushing against the door with my feet.  The door repeatedly slammed onto my legs and feet with the top of my right foot being injured through coming into violent contact with the door locking mechanism.  My feet were crushed several times before they managed to shut the door.  I was hit in the face through the open window and ducked from a second blow.  The priest drove off smiling and waving goodbye.

When you said you were driving to Caveat your bottom was sore and stinging was that consequent upon an assault and if so where did that assault occur?
The assault was on my bottom - caused through the priest forcing his penis into my rectum.  The location of this assault was 3 to 5 miles prior to the Yea road intersecting with the Seymour junction.

Did you know whether your mother made any complaint to anyone in relation to her observations of you when you went home and naturally she was upset to see you?
Yes. The priest as mentioned.  A family friend Herbert Kemp (The Parade Yea), a policeman [name] or similar spelling).  It is possible she also spoke to a [name] (employed at the local post office).

5. Impact of alleged sexual abuse on [JB]
5.1It was clear from [JB]'s responses to the Impacts of Events Scale-Revised
    (IES-R) that consistent with his discussion with me, he experiences a high level of 
    intrusive thoughts about his childhood sexual abuse and tries hard to avoid thoughts or
    activities, which remind him of these events. [JB]'s results from the IES-R
    were:
Intrusion (I) 24 from a possible 28
Hypervigilance (H) 22 from a possible 28
Avoidance (A) 27 from a possible 32
    His final result I & A = 51 which falls above the severe impact level of 44 +.
    [JB] was very emotional when completing his (IES-R) and a points would  
    throw his head back to regulate his breathing through his tears.

5.2 In  trying to make an assessment of the consequences for a person of having been the subject of an adults' sexually abusive behaviour, both the frequency and the intrusiveness of the abuse as well as the extent of coercion are relevant factors. In my opinion the alleged abusive behaviour towards [JB] as a pre-pubescent child rates as "severe" in both frequency and intrusiveness.

5.3 [JB] recalls that one of the ways he dealt with his sexual abuse was to switch off.  People who have been sexually abused often attempt to develop skills to adapt to this unsatisfactory situation.  One of the strategies often employed even though they
     do not necessarily recognise that they are consciously and purposely learning a skill, is
     that of being able to switch off.  However, one of the legacies from employing such a
     strategy regularly and unconsciously as a child is that it continues as learnt behaviour
     into adulthood. 
     It is my opinion that [JB] will and does at times respond to some situations
     with the same unconscious strategy.  I am aware that this still happens for him in his
     business affairs and his relationship with his wife, son and extended family.  I have
     also witnessed his "switching off" in a meeting while John [S] was explaining

     your correspondence to him.

5.4 Many mean who have survived the sexual abuse of an older trusted man as a child find they encounter significant apprehension when they become parents.  They report anxiety about parenting their sons in particular, often being torn between their rational wish to be affectionate and the fear that this might seem in some way to be abusive.  Or as parents they can be overprotective.  [JB] acknowledges that he is overprotective of his son [family member name], and is very aware of any adult [family member name] associates with
     during his school and outside school activities.  [JB]  was anxious about becoming a
     father because he felt he did not have a stable family background to call on to assist
     him in being an effective, healthy and successful father.  [JB]  has had to work hard
     and read extensively to understand his role in fathering [family member name].  At times this has created
     stress between himself and his wife.

5.5 Withdrawal and discomfort with intimacy and sexual activity can also be affected by    memories of childhood sexual abuse.  This has been a problem for [JB]  and his wife [family member name].  Before [JB]  commenced counselling with me, [JB]  and [family member name] had been sleeping in separate beds and intimacy and signs of affection were limited.  [family member name] has since attended counselling.

5.6 [JB] speaks about being socially excluded as a child at school and within his family.  He saw himself as a child being a "labelled and branded individual".  He was humiliated by his peers at school and no-one would play with him because the nuns had labelled him a "liar".  He was not believed by people he tried to tell.  He recalls this turmoil and frustration and told of a time in 1962 when he put himself though a pane of glass.  He believes this was an indication of his low self-value and frustration.   As a young boy struggling to gain some self worth and identity it appears [JB]  was fighting a losing battle.  These childhood circumstances would have resulted in permanent emotional scarring.

5.7 [JB] speaks of suicidal thoughts at age 18 and believes he has struggled with anxiety, low self-esteem and being indecisive, and has experienced bouts of
     depression since then.

5.8 Playing sport or mixing with mates is still difficult for [JB] .  He takes a long time to trust people and is very wary of people who may be interested in him in anyway.   Hence [JB]  has chosen to be self-employed and still struggles at business meetings or being in a car or lift with other males.

5.9 Until [JB]  was allegedly sexually abused by a priest and belted by his father he believed he had a Christian faith that had some meaning for him.  Since his childhood he has never returned to his Catholic faith or any other religion.

5.10 One of the saddest impacts on [JB] 's life has been his disengagement from his   family of origin.  He has never moved on from his brothers and sisters' behaviours   towards him at school.  I assume his mother was aware of the cruelty [JB]  was   receiving at school and at home by his siblings and that may have been another   reason why [JB]  lived with Herbie Kemp.  [JB] is now a very responsible,   reliable and firm family man who loves [family member name] and [family member name] dearly.  It is sad to observe   an adult man begin to understand the meaning and pleasure from a family in his   fifties.
 
5.11 [JB]  explained that prior to counselling the affect of his alleged abuse and its  extended impact on his family occupied about 65-70% of his thoughts and emotions.       He believes since developing some strategies to manage his thoughts and feelings  that this has been reduced to 40%.  His preoccupation with his thoughts has had a  significant impact on his ability to concentrate on his career, which in return has  created financial hardship for him.  [JB]  is presently enjoying his work and is able to  efficiently manage time and financial issues.

5.12 I enclose part of an email that [JB]  sent to me on 11th March 2005 after a  counselling session in which I drew out of [JB]  what he saw as the biggest impact of  his alleged sexual abuse.  His words are possible reinforcement of my comments.  "I cannot recall a single day in my life which has not been impacted by this.  If I look  at any aspect of my life friendships, relationships, employment, ability to work,  social interaction, community involvement, family, friends, trust, financial,  emotional I have felt the impact in all these areas.  These last few days in attempting  to write this have caused me to change the way I look at these things.  In the past I    have been able to see the impact of some of these things.  I have seen them in  isolation and they have been manageable for me that way.  To try to put this into one  document is proving very difficult and emotional.  To have lived with the anger and  at times the rage that this has left me with in my life, times of incredible frustration.  To have lived as an outcast in my own family, to have been treated as an  untrustworthy and unbelievable person by almost an entire town, to endure the  humilation, embarrassment and bastardisation through my school years and to have  that foisted on me when moving to high school and yet again when employed - I feel  that is impact.  To have little or no sound environment in my upbringing leaves me very short in the  area of having a part on which to learn from in bringing up my own child, to see him  hurt and to miss out on friendships and opportunities in his life due to the lack of  suitability of my own background….  I feel incredible rage at those people - for what they did to me and for what they  continued for all those years of my childhood.  [counselor name], whichever way I seem to come at this I finish up with incredible sadness and  become very emotional, some of it brings anger and embarrassment - most of all it  leaves with a feeling of terrible sadness and is a very depressing task.  In  some way I  see all or lots of these aspects I have talked about - those that I have seen in isolation
    and here I start to see them coming together as a continuous part of my life and that is
    a very painful thing to allow myself to accept and acknowledge.  I try to look at my life
    and concentrate on the important things in my life and I try to see those parts in there
    that has not been impacted by this - by seeing those things, which impacted in
    isolation they are manageable in some way - to see them roll one into the other is not -
    to see the interconnectedness of those things .
    I will try again over the weekend, I need to put this down again so I can take a breath 
    and set my mind to those important things in my business which have been neglected
    and now will be done hurriedly and not as they should be done because I find myself
    internalising things from the past and trying to find ways to describe them and the next 
    moment having to deal with a client on the phone or a task, which should have my full
    attention or to hid my tears from those around me - that is my future and my family's
    future and I become upset when I feel that my day to day work and the future of my
    business and the future of my family are jeopardised because my head can't stay on a
    task long enough to complete the things I need to do to keep it going.  That I feel is the
    worst impact at the moment."

6.    Continued Counselling Intervention
6.1    [JB]  has attended his counselling sessions on a regular basis since March 2004 and he has worked well during and between session.  The counselling costs to date have totalled $………..
I have not pushed [JB]  to speak to me about his sexual abuse in any detail as yet because I am conscious of not re-abusing him through his dialogue.  A great deal of his counselling has been in developing a counselling relationship with him and his wife [family member name] and son [family member name], developing strategists to manage some of his thoughts and emotions, telling his stories, gathering information and mostly supporting him with his complaint to your Commission.

6.2    Once [JB] or John [S] hears back from you I will either gather any extra information you may require or begin to do some grief and healing counselling with [JB] .  I don't believe I can commence this part of his counselling journey until he receives some acknowledgement of his abuse by the church.  I know this is difficult because [JB]  is unable to identify his alleged abuser.

6.3    [JB]  will possibly require counselling for approximately 6 months depending on the outcome of your investigation.  If there is to be any financial compensation for [JB]  I feel his counselling expenses could be reviewed.  I have worked in the field of sexuality for almost twenty years and counselled hundreds of clients.  I would rate [JB] as one of the most thorough, well researched and highly motivated clients I have ever counselled.  I hope [JB]  will find justice and peace of mind and will heal from his past abusive experiences.  I will continue to support [JB]  and his family through this process.