VICTIMS of sexual abuse by Christian Brothers will launch a class action against the order, with a Melbourne lawyer calling for more abused students to come forward.
Lawyer Vivian Waller said yesterday that more than 30 victims from schools and orphanages run by the order would take part.
The legal action relates to abuse alleged to have occurred between 1967 and 1986 but no compensation amount has yet been arrived at.
News of the class action comes after paedophile rapist Brother Robert Charles Best lodged an appeal relating to his conviction for sex crimes.
Best, 70, was jailed for a minimum of 11 years and three months in August for sexually abusing young boys over the course of 20 years.
Dr Waller said many of Best’s victims were included in the class action, and there were also allegations of abuse at St Patrick’s College, Ballarat, as well as Geelong, South Melbourne and Box Hill.
A spokesperson for the Christian Brothers yesterday confirmed that the order will not fund Best’s appeal.
Dr Waller called for the church to reopen cases dealt with as part of the Towards Healing process, which she called “a farce”.
“Towards Healing did not deal with complaints in a proper way and did not uncover all cases of sexual abuse.
“While victims who have reached agreement with the church may have been given a modest sum of money in exchange for signing away their rights, I would call for these cases to be re-examined,” Dr Waller said.
She said it was likely other victims were yet to come forward to police and church authorities.
A Ballarat victim, who cannot be named for legal reasons, said the action was a good development.
“Any legal action is good so long as it can get what the victims need. Many had real problems getting results out of the Catholic Church,” he said.
“The church has set itself up so it is not always liable for compensation.”
Sister Angela Ryan, executive officer of the Catholic Church’s committee for professional standards did not comment yesterday.
“Given that this is a legal process, the church would seek legal advice before responding,” Sr Ryan said.
A spokesperson for the Christian Brothers Oceania declined to comment further for this story.
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