In recent weeks, the Government has announced the establishment of an inquiry into sexual abuse in all schools, primary and second level. Now people who suffered physical abuse are asking, “what about us?”
Four categories of abuse are used in classifying abuse – sexual, physical, emotional, and neglect. In the legal world, a claim of sexual abuse appears to have top billing when it comes to redress, but that should not take from the fact that the effects of any abuse, experienced as a child, can be difficult to measure.
When we consider the hurt caused by verbal abuse, mockery, classroom humiliation, exclusion, we realise that these experiences can have lifelong consequences for the individual and society.
Social class played a part in the abuse in schools.
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Noted Brazilian educator Paulo Freire, writing about oppressors versus the oppressed, made the point that very few, if any, are capable of overcoming the views and prejudices of the class into which they were born.
Teachers in schools, be they religious or secular, tended to come from middle class origins and many took the view that it did not matter if one treated the children of the poor differently from the those whose parents were better off, parents with whom the teachers could more easily identify.
This was relevant from the foundation of the primary school system in the 19th century, though it began to change gradually in the 1960s and with the introduction of free education.
It is questionable what a five-year, costly Government inquiry, which will divert financial and personnel resources from the educational budget, will achieve. If the net of inquiries of past abuses continues to be widened, will a point of closure ever be reached?
We know that abuse happens in families. Will future governments trawl through every family in the land so that every child who was ever abused in any setting is going to have a voice?
Presumably the inquiry will identify those who allege abuse. Will it then have the task of assessing the truth of any allegation? Will it presume that all allegations are true? There is the question of natural justice, whereby the accused has the right of reply to his/ her accuser. Having verified whether an allegation is credible (and there is a difference between credibility and truth) there is the question of who will bear the cost of redress. And we need to ask ourselves, and those who represent us in Government, if “giving a voice” actually brings healing. It may – but being the public voice that represents all those who suffered could also serve to lock one into the hurt.
Tánaiste Simon Harris has insisted that the religious organisations will have to pay and the Opposition are adamant that they have “got away” with not paying.
Religious organisations have already paid some money and handed over buildings. There has not been any calculation of the money and salaries that wereploughed back into schools. This might be as immeasurable as the degree of abuse.
The reality of child abuse within and without the churches has been revealed and openly debated for the past 30 years. It has shattered the institution of the Catholic Church and, in many ways, has been as transformative as the Reformation was in the 16th century. The credibility of the Church of Rome has been marred, possibly beyond repair.
But there may come a point where we are in danger of ignoring present abuses in favour of scrutiny of the past.
Finally, questions must be raised about school management. The greater number of our schools are under the management of the Catholic Church. The pay back in terms of church practice and adult belief seem minimal. The passing on of faith is primarily the role of the family.
This is the time for the Catholic hierarchy to hand back the schools to the State.
Margaret Lee is a retired Principal Social Worker with experience in Child and Family Services, as well as on Child Protection Committee.
