Brisbane 1967 to 2001: Abuse victim Joan Isaacs received 30,000 dollars after two years of negotiation and had to commit herself to silence

In Case Study 4 the Australian Royal Commission examined how the Church, through its Towards Healing process, responded to four people abused by priests or religious Brothers. Joan Isaacs was abused in 1967 and 1968, aged 14 and 15, by the school chaplain Father Francis Derriman, who was convicted for it. The Archdiocese of Brisbane paid the agreed counselling costs only after repeated prompting. After more than two years of negotiations with lawyers and the insurer it offered 30,000 dollars; after 20,000 dollars in legal costs Isaacs was left with little. She had to sign a deed forbidding her to disclose the terms or to make disparaging remarks about the Church. According to the commission, such clauses should never have been used.

Period

1967-2001 (34 years)

Country

Australia

Institutions

Archdiocese of Brisbane
Towards Healing

Category

Sexual abuse, Cover-up

Level of evidence

A Primary source · what does this mean?

Persons

Francis Derriman (priest and school chaplain, convicted of offences against Joan Isaacs)
Joan Isaacs (abused as a schoolgirl, went through Towards Healing)

Background

Who received the assets, who profited?

1. The archdiocese paid the promised counselling costs only after considerable prompting. Church, lawyers and insurer negotiated for over two years before the archdiocese's solicitors offered in April 2001 an ex gratia payment of 30,000 dollars "all up". After 20,000 dollars in legal costs Isaacs was left with only a small amount. According to the commission, the Church relied heavily on insurers and lawyers in the negotiations.
   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 6

   „Mrs Isaacs received payments for counselling costs only following considerable prompting after the Archdiocese had already agreed to pay.“

   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 6

   „After two years of negotiations, on 20 April 2001 solicitors for the Archdiocese offered Mrs Isaacs an ex gratia payment of $30,000 ‘all up’“

   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 6

   „After paying $20,000 for legal costs, Mrs Isaacs was left with a small amount of money.“

   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 6

   „The Church relied heavily on advice from insurers and lawyers when negotiating compensation.“

Response of the Church

1. Isaacs had to sign a deed forbidding her to disclose the terms and to make disparaging remarks about the Church. According to the commission, these clauses in effect imposed on her an obligation of silence about the circumstances of her complaint, were inconsistent with Towards Healing and were neither compassionate nor just; confidentiality clauses should never have been included in agreements about child sexual abuse. Derriman remained an ordained priest; he cannot function only because he incurred excommunication by attempting marriage in 1970.
   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 6, Feststellung 6

   „Clauses 7 and 8 effectively imposed on Mrs Isaacs an obligation of silence about the circumstances that led to her complaint.“

   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 7, Feststellung 7

   „It was not compassionate, fair or just to require Mrs Isaacs to sign a deed with clause 7 in it.“

   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 7, Feststellung 8

   „Confidentiality clauses should never have been included in deeds of release relating to child sexual abuse.“

   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 7

   „remains an ordained priest of the Catholic Church“

   Evidence: Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien, S. 7

   „he incurred a latae sententiae excommunication after he ‘attempted marriage’ on 16 October 1970“

See also

• 1974-2007 · 33 years

  Sydney 1974 to 2007: The archdiocese offered abuse victim John Ellis 30,000 dollars and denied the abuse in court in order to deter other victims from suing

  • Australia
  • Sexual abuse
  • Cover-up
• 1996-2014 · 18 years

  Melbourne from 1996: The Church's "Melbourne Response" compensation scheme capped payments to abuse victims at 50,000 dollars; victims were discouraged from going to the police

  • Australia
  • Sexual abuse
  • Cover-up

Original documents to read

1. Government report
   Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, Australien: Report of Case Study No. 4: The experiences of four survivors with the Towards Healing process. Original · Archive copy (retrieved 30 Oct 2026)

Last changed on 30 October 2026. Is something missing or wrong? Suggest an addition or correction.