Brothers’ denial offensive, says abuse survivor

THE leader of a victims support group yesterday described as “deeply offensive” remarks made by a Christian Brothers’ spokesman in relation to sexual abuse in industrial schools.

Brother Denis Gleeson said there was no widespread or systematic abuse in institutions run by the Christian Brothers and his congregation was not aware of abuse while it was going on.

However, one of the victims of abuse insisted that the practice was endemic and had been widely reported at the time but was ignored.