Kirchenakte Documented events from judgments, reports and church documents
1950-2013 · 63 years · show in timeline

Victoria, Australia: parliamentary inquiry "Betrayal of Trust" into the handling of child abuse (2013)

In 2012 and 2013 a committee of the Parliament of the Australian state of Victoria examined how religious and other organisations dealt with child abuse. Most of the evidence concerned the Catholic Church, and more than 80 percent of the public submissions concerned religious orders of the Church. The committee found that the church leadership trivialised the problem, kept the public uninformed and ensured that perpetrators were not held accountable, so that further children were abused. In Ballarat the bishop moved the priest Gerald Ridsdale to another parish after a complaint; the Church later accepted 67 claims of abuse against him.

Period
1950-2013 (63 years)
Report published
13 November 2013
Country
Australia
Institutions
Catholic Church in Victoria
Diocese of Ballarat
Christian Brothers
Archdiocese of Melbourne
Category
Sexual abuse, Cover-up
Level of evidence
A Primary source · what does this mean?
Persons
Gerald Ridsdale (priest of the Diocese of Ballarat, laicised in 1993)
Ronald Mulkearns (Bishop of Ballarat, moved Ridsdale after the first complaint)

What happened to the people

Who was affected? Victims and numbers

  1. Most of the evidence before the committee concerned abuse in the Catholic Church in Victoria, in parishes, schools and homes. More than 80 percent of the public submissions concerned abuse by members of Catholic religious orders over a period of more than 70 years. According to the evidence before the committee, the established incidence of child abuse in the Catholic Church in Victoria is substantially higher than in all other denominations combined.
    Evidence: Family and Community Development Committee, Parlament von Victoria, veröffentlicht von BishopAccountability.org, Executive Summary, S. xxvii (PDF-S. 27)
    „The majority of evidence received by the Inquiry related to the criminal abuse of children within the Catholic Church in Victoria“
    Betrayal of Trust: Inquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and Other Non-Government Organisations, Band 1, Executive Summary, S. xxvii (PDF-S. 27). Original · Archive copy
    Evidence: Family and Community Development Committee, Parlament von Victoria, veröffentlicht von BishopAccountability.org, Kapitel 1 (PDF-S. 64)
    „More than 80 per cent of public submissions to the Committee were about abuse by members of Catholic religious orders, covering a period spanning more than 70 years.“
    Betrayal of Trust: Inquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and Other Non-Government Organisations, Band 1, Kapitel 1 (PDF-S. 64). Original · Archive copy
    Evidence: Family and Community Development Committee, Parlament von Victoria, veröffentlicht von BishopAccountability.org, Kapitel 7 (PDF-S. 213)
    „The Committee received evidence that, in Victoria, the established incidence of criminal child abuse is substantially higher in the Catholic Church than it is in all other denominations combined.“
    Betrayal of Trust: Inquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and Other Non-Government Organisations, Band 1, Kapitel 7 (PDF-S. 213). Original · Archive copy
  2. At St Alipius primary school in Ballarat in 1973, the principal, two other teachers, all Christian Brothers, and the school chaplain Gerald Ridsdale were later suspected or convicted of sexually abusing children; the only teacher who was not was a female lay teacher. The documented acts at Christian Brothers schools in Ballarat fell in the years 1965 to 1983, and the children were 5 to 16 years old.
    Evidence: Family and Community Development Committee, Parlament von Victoria, veröffentlicht von BishopAccountability.org, Kapitel 3.3.4 (PDF-S. 115)
    „During 1973, the principal and Grade 6 teacher was Br Robert Best, the Grade 5 teacher was Br Stephen Farrell and the Grade 3 teacher was Br Gerald Leo Fitzgerald.“
    Betrayal of Trust: Inquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and Other Non-Government Organisations, Band 1, Kapitel 3.3.4 (PDF-S. 115). Original · Archive copy
    Evidence: Family and Community Development Committee, Parlament von Victoria, veröffentlicht von BishopAccountability.org, Kapitel 3.3.4 (PDF-S. 115)
    „Additionally, the school chaplain was Fr Gerald Ridsdale. Extraordinarily, the only teacher not subsequently suspected or convicted of sexual abuse of children teaching at that school was a female lay teacher.“
    Betrayal of Trust: Inquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and Other Non-Government Organisations, Band 1, Kapitel 3.3.4 (PDF-S. 115). Original · Archive copy
    Evidence: Family and Community Development Committee, Parlament von Victoria, veröffentlicht von BishopAccountability.org, Kapitel 3.3.4 (PDF-S. 115)
    „The documented criminal child abuse occurred between 1965 and 1983, and the age range of the children was between 5 and 16 years.“
    Betrayal of Trust: Inquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and Other Non-Government Organisations, Band 1, Kapitel 3.3.4 (PDF-S. 115). Original · Archive copy

What happened to those affected?

  1. A victim abused as a pupil said that his childhood ended that year. He described the shame and what he calls "Catholic guilt": that one must not speak ill of the Church.
    Evidence: Family and Community Development Committee, Parlament von Victoria, veröffentlicht von BishopAccountability.org, Kapitel 3 (PDF-S. 119)
    „I think it is fair to say that my childhood ended that year“
    Betrayal of Trust: Inquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and Other Non-Government Organisations, Band 1, Kapitel 3 (PDF-S. 119). Original · Archive copy
    Evidence: Family and Community Development Committee, Parlament von Victoria, veröffentlicht von BishopAccountability.org, Kapitel 3 (PDF-S. 120)
    „what I call the Catholic guilt because you cannot speak ill of the Church.“
    Betrayal of Trust: Inquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and Other Non-Government Organisations, Band 1, Kapitel 3 (PDF-S. 120). Original · Archive copy

Witness accounts and records

From the case files Bishop Ronald Mulkearns in 1993 in an interview with representatives of the church insurer about Ridsdale's appointment to Edenhope

I have got in writing for example that it was prudent for him to be appointed to Edenhope that was something that was a phone conversation. I did not want to keep too much in writing I suppose

Family and Community Development Committee, Parlament von Victoria, veröffentlicht von BishopAccountability.org: Betrayal of Trust: Inquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and Other Non-Government Organisations, Band 1, Kapitel 7 (PDF-S. 233). Original · Archive copy
Witness Tim Lane, abused as a pupil, before the committee

My reporting of the abuse was not believed by any of the adults who I told, and nothing was done about it. This was not only a betrayal of trust, but it left me in fear. I was all alone, and I had to face this fear by myself

Family and Community Development Committee, Parlament von Victoria, veröffentlicht von BishopAccountability.org: Betrayal of Trust: Inquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and Other Non-Government Organisations, Band 1, Kapitel 3 (PDF-S. 119). Original · Archive copy

Background

Why? Justification and motives (according to the sources)

  1. According to the report, the organisations examined were in the past often motivated by self-interest and the protection of the organisation. Representatives of religious bodies, including the Catholic Church, eventually conceded having taken steps with the direct objective of concealing wrongdoing. As late as 2013 church leaders were reluctant to fully acknowledge that they had pursued policies that gave first priority to protecting the interests of the Church.
    Evidence: Family and Community Development Committee, Parlament von Victoria, veröffentlicht von BishopAccountability.org, Executive Summary, S. xxx (PDF-S. 30)
    „Evidence to the Inquiry revealed that historically these organisations were often motivated by self-interest and the protection of the organisation.“
    Betrayal of Trust: Inquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and Other Non-Government Organisations, Band 1, Executive Summary, S. xxx (PDF-S. 30). Original · Archive copy
    Evidence: Family and Community Development Committee, Parlament von Victoria, veröffentlicht von BishopAccountability.org, Executive Summary, S. xxvi (PDF-S. 26)
    „There has been a substantial body of credible evidence presented to the Inquiry and ultimately concessions made by senior representatives of religious bodies, including the Catholic Church, that they had taken steps with the direct objective of concealing wrongdoing.“
    Betrayal of Trust: Inquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and Other Non-Government Organisations, Band 1, Executive Summary, S. xxvi (PDF-S. 26). Original · Archive copy
    Evidence: Family and Community Development Committee, Parlament von Victoria, veröffentlicht von BishopAccountability.org, Kapitel 1 (PDF-S. 66)
    „Church leaders are reluctant to fully acknowledge that they adopted policies that gave first priority to protecting the interests of the Church.“
    Betrayal of Trust: Inquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and Other Non-Government Organisations, Band 1, Kapitel 1 (PDF-S. 66). Original · Archive copy

Response of the Church

  1. Instead of exposing abuse, according to the committee's finding the church leadership trivialised the problem, contributed to abuse not being disclosed or not being responded to at all before the 1990s, kept the public uninformed and ensured that perpetrators were not held accountable. The tragic result: children continued to be abused where it could have been avoided.
    Evidence: Family and Community Development Committee, Parlament von Victoria, veröffentlicht von BishopAccountability.org, Executive Summary, S. xxxi (PDF-S. 31)
    „trivialised the problem“
    Betrayal of Trust: Inquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and Other Non-Government Organisations, Band 1, Executive Summary, S. xxxi (PDF-S. 31). Original · Archive copy
    Evidence: Family and Community Development Committee, Parlament von Victoria, veröffentlicht von BishopAccountability.org, Executive Summary, S. xxxi (PDF-S. 31)
    „contributed to abuse not being disclosed or not being responded to at all prior to the 1990s“
    Betrayal of Trust: Inquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and Other Non-Government Organisations, Band 1, Executive Summary, S. xxxi (PDF-S. 31). Original · Archive copy
    Evidence: Family and Community Development Committee, Parlament von Victoria, veröffentlicht von BishopAccountability.org, Executive Summary, S. xxxi (PDF-S. 31)
    „ensured that the Victorian community remained uninformed of the abuse“
    Betrayal of Trust: Inquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and Other Non-Government Organisations, Band 1, Executive Summary, S. xxxi (PDF-S. 31). Original · Archive copy
    Evidence: Family and Community Development Committee, Parlament von Victoria, veröffentlicht von BishopAccountability.org, Executive Summary, S. xxxi (PDF-S. 31)
    „ensured that perpetrators were not held accountable, with the tragic result being that children continued to be abused by some religious personnel when it could have been avoided.“
    Betrayal of Trust: Inquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and Other Non-Government Organisations, Band 1, Executive Summary, S. xxxi (PDF-S. 31). Original · Archive copy
  2. Bishop Ronald Mulkearns received the first complaint about Ridsdale in 1975. He had him withdrawn from the parish and sent for counselling and then appointed him to another parish; further complaints followed. Before 1997, 37 complaints about Ridsdale were received; the Church accepted 67 claims of abuse by him. He was laicised in November 1993.
    Evidence: Family and Community Development Committee, Parlament von Victoria, veröffentlicht von BishopAccountability.org, Kapitel 7 (PDF-S. 233)
    „The first complaint I ever had was when he was at Inglewood in 1975“
    Betrayal of Trust: Inquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and Other Non-Government Organisations, Band 1, Kapitel 7 (PDF-S. 233). Original · Archive copy
    Evidence: Family and Community Development Committee, Parlament von Victoria, veröffentlicht von BishopAccountability.org, Kapitel 7 (PDF-S. 233)
    „Bishop Mulkearns arranged for Fr Ridsdale to be removed from the parish and to undergo counselling. After various periods of counselling, Bishop Mulkearns appointed Fr Ridsdale to a different parish.“
    Betrayal of Trust: Inquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and Other Non-Government Organisations, Band 1, Kapitel 7 (PDF-S. 233). Original · Archive copy
    Evidence: Family and Community Development Committee, Parlament von Victoria, veröffentlicht von BishopAccountability.org, Kapitel 7 (PDF-S. 234)
    „37 complaints were made about the conduct of Fr Ridsdale prior to 1997.“
    Betrayal of Trust: Inquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and Other Non-Government Organisations, Band 1, Kapitel 7 (PDF-S. 234). Original · Archive copy
    Evidence: Family and Community Development Committee, Parlament von Victoria, veröffentlicht von BishopAccountability.org, Kapitel 7 (PDF-S. 234)
    „67 claims of criminal child abuse by him have been accepted by the Catholic Church.“
    Betrayal of Trust: Inquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and Other Non-Government Organisations, Band 1, Kapitel 7 (PDF-S. 234). Original · Archive copy
    Evidence: Family and Community Development Committee, Parlament von Victoria, veröffentlicht von BishopAccountability.org, Kapitel 7 (PDF-S. 234)
    „Fr Ridsdale was laicised in November 1993“
    Betrayal of Trust: Inquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and Other Non-Government Organisations, Band 1, Kapitel 7 (PDF-S. 234). Original · Archive copy
  3. Even the first formal response of the Catholic Church in Victoria and Australia in the early 1990s was shaped by its previous approach and continued to conceal abuse rather than expose it.
    Evidence: Family and Community Development Committee, Parlament von Victoria, veröffentlicht von BishopAccountability.org, Inquiry Findings (PDF-S. 50)
    „The response continued to conceal rather than expose criminal child abuse in the organisation.“
    Betrayal of Trust: Inquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and Other Non-Government Organisations, Band 1, Inquiry Findings (PDF-S. 50). Original · Archive copy

See also

Original documents to read

  1. Government report
    Family and Community Development Committee, Parlament von Victoria, veröffentlicht von BishopAccountability.org: Betrayal of Trust: Inquiry into the Handling of Child Abuse by Religious and Other Non-Government Organisations, Band 1, 13 November 2013. Original · Archive copy (retrieved 22 Oct 2026)
Change log (1)

The change log is kept in German only.

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Last changed on 22 October 2026. Is something missing or wrong? Suggest an addition or correction.