‘Children inflicted most sex abuse on other children’

CHILDREN inflicted most of the sex abuse on other children living in State-funded institutions, voluntary support worker Tom Hayes told the Child Abuse Commission yesterday.

He claimed post-1999 media reports of religious found guilty of sex abuse in institutions put the focus on sex abuse by members of religious congregations. This had “confused” many former inmates as to what they should say to the authorities.

“I do not believe that the degree of sex abuse that took place within these institutions was perpetrated by the religious,” said Mr Hayes, who described himself as secretary of the Alliance victim support group. “What I am saying is, and I have knowledge of, that these acts were perpetrated more by those of us that were in the institutions. The question of religious sex abuse was certainly news to my ears, and I know to most people who were in the institution with me it was news to their ears also.” He described carrying out research in England and Ireland in the mid-1990s for a book he considered writing on his former institution, Glin School, run by the Christian Brothers.

Media reports of sexual abuse by religious, rather than bullying and physical abuse, in institutions had “confused” former inmates into thinking they had to say they were sexually abused in order to access the various facilities set up by the Government after 1999.

“That’s what I believe,” said Mr Hayes, who operates the group from his own home. “That actually was proved in our dealings with people on the ground.”

His group disagreed with the approach of other victim support organisations that depend heavily on other abuse survivors to carry out their work.

“We wanted the professionals involved,” said Mr Hayes. “We did not take part in the investigative side that other groups did. We did not want to set up areas or offices; we wanted people to be fully acclimatised in society, not to be dislodged from it. We believed that the statutory bodies were the best people to deal with it. ”

He believed it was a mistake for the religious not to meet people who wanted to raise issues about the conduct of the institutions.

In a press statement, Christine Buckley of Aislinn Centre criticised Mr Hayes’ claim in evidence that most institutional sex abuse was carried out by children on children.

Ms Buckley said Mr Hayes, while a member of the Nova support committee, previously made this allegation in a newspaper and claimed he had documentary proof. Challenged by the committee to provide this proof, he failed to do so and was removed from the committee.

In a separate development, Ms Buckley said she is now prepared to give evidence to the commission after being told by the Taoiseach’s Department that the Attorney General sees no objection to her getting legal representation on behalf of the Aislinn Centre. Under the rules, individuals may get legal advice but this is not available to organisations.