Home // October 11-15 2010 > Child abuse our greatest health crisis: Fr Chris Riley

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Child abuse our greatest health crisis: Fr Chris Riley

Published: October 11, 2010



Father Chris Riley


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Child abuse is the greatest health crisis this country has to face, but there is lack of “courage or will to do anything about it”, says Youth Off The Streets' Father Chris Riley.

“We simply offload all responsibility to statutory bodies,” he told The Catholic Weekly. Statutory bodies are under siege and young case workers burn out within an average of seven months.

“Politicians do not take it seriously, the community generally doesn’t want to hear about sexual abuse and the victim does not necessarily show any outward signs of being sexually as­saulted.

“But anyone who has been sexually assaulted en­dures a lifetime of psychological and emotional distress; they often become drug users to kill the pain of abuse, attempt suicide, self mutilate and have major trust issues.”

The Australian newspaper has reported that child sexual abuse victims face so much added trauma in giving evidence in the Victorian Children’s Court that most cases aren’t proceeding.

Fr Chris said the Federal Government was determined to get a national framework for dealing with abuse of children so that all states would be uniform in dealing with abuse, but "Now all funding for coalition members (representatives from non-government organisations) to pursue this has been stopped."

FULL STORY

Child abuse ‘greatest health crisis’ we face (The Catholic Weekly)

PHOTO CREDIT

Image from Youth Off The Streets

 

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Recent Comments

  1. It isn't just sexual abuse. Many people in the community are aware of other forms of abuse which are more obvious than sexual abuse. They do nothing because of a fear of 'bricks on their roof'. The children remain at risk.
    We need public education of what abuse is and how to deal with it.

    Posted By: Anne Norman, QLD

  2. Child abuse is part of the greatest health crisis in our land. 'Mental Illness' that is where it actually should be situated.
    Yes, it does affect the total being of the victim, physically, spiritually, emotionally, mentally and legally.
    It naturally falls into the area of 'trauma' which affects
    the whole body/mind interface within the immediate discipline of Psychology.
    I feel the article does very little for the victims, apart from
    sensationalise the matter which we do not want or need.

    Posted By: D.A. Davies. Milton.

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