Children in Catholic schools were abused physically · 2009-05-22 16:27
Physical, emotional and sexual abuse was "endemic" in institutions run by the religious congregations throughout the 20th century in Ireland, blighting the lives of thousands of victims, the Report of the Commission to Inquire into Child Abuse has found.
The Department of Education failed to carry out proper inspections and disregarded the violence within the industrial school system for which it was responsible, according to the five-volume report published some days ago.
The commission, chaired by Mr Justice Se??n Ryan, heard evidence in private from 1,090 men and women who reported being abused as children in Irish institutions. The abuse related to 216 different schools, homes, hospitals and fostercare situations, though the vast majority of abuse was reported in industrial schools and reformatories.
The abuse dated back to as early as 1914 and as late as 2000, but the vast majority of reports covered the period from 1930 to 1990.
More than 800 individuals were identified as having carried out physical or sexual abuse of children during this period. More than 90 per cent of witnesses said they had been physically abused, Irish Times reports.
"In addition to being hit and beaten, witnesses described other forms of abuse such as being flogged, kicked and otherwise physically assaulted, scalded, burned and held under water."
Witnesses told of being beaten in front of other staff and pupils and in private. The abuse was carried out by religious and lay staff, older residents and others associated with the schools and institutions, and the many reports of injuries include broken bones, lacerations and bruising.
More than 500 witnesses said they had been sexually abused. "Acute and chronic contact and non-contact sexual abuse was reported, including vaginal and anal rape, molestation and voyeurism in both isolated assaults and on a regular basis over long periods of time."
Witnesses also reported widespread neglect and emotional abuse.
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