189 new recommendations delivered by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Australia - I was one of the 7875 victims interviewed about my experience of childhood sexual abuse. My perpetrator was Brother Bernard Hartman, now retired, of the Marianist order, Catholic Church, residing in the U.S. I am not celebrating the recommendations of the Royal Commission with gusto as some might expect because I know that some children will never be safe, no matter how hard we try. Am I a defeatist or a realist? I am expecting future abused children to have a voice, be believed and receive early intervention and appropriate care. I am looking forward improvements being implemented within all institutions that will make those children safer. I only wish I had a magic wand to stop this devastating, cruel and vile experience from ever happening to another child. I applaud, "the creation of a new National Office for Child Safety" which will hopefully prove to be a great first step forward. But I feel that the expectation, "that religious ministers be required to report abuse confided in them during confession." may be a pipe dream. Unless rogue priests set up sting operations to weed out and dob in non-compliant priests, I don't trust the Catholic Church to follow this through. I also worry that some people may believe that a married priest is a "safer" priest and let their guard down. Married men and parents can, and do, commit rape and abuse against children, their own included. As it stands at the moment, the leaders of the Catholic Church in Australia are stating that they will refer to Rome and the Holy See for their instructions on mandatory reporting of child abuse confessional matters. These new implementations will be Australian Law. Abide by the laws of the land or face the full consequences of harsh criminal charges. The full Royal Commission report can be read via the link below. Live Your Bliss Mairead

My words to the people of Australia in the Survivors Book in the National Library in Canberra

Witness

Open

Held

Hold

Silence

Broken

Truth

Told

Art of Life Counselling