News Archives

The Vatican’s repeated refusal to cooperate with official investigations into paedophile priests and its delay in stripping convicted offenders of their clerical status has been condemned by the UK’s child…

Less than a third of sexual violence cases reported to the police make it court, according to a new report released by the Ministry of Justice. Out of the almost…

Analysis: A long time coming. Finally, after months of haggling over terms of reference, years of steadily growing political discussion and decades of pressure from those who experienced this vast…

Survivors of historical cases of child rape, violence and neglect at state-owned care institutions are being officially heard for the first time. Witnesses on Tuesday began giving evidence at the…

Witnesses have this morning begun giving evidence at the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in State Care. One of the first to appear will be high-profile former prisoner Arthur…

Warning: This story discusses issues related to rape and sexual violence. As the Royal Commission of Inquiry into State Abuse begins public hearings, its survivor advisory group is in disarray….

Jehovah’s Witnesses church elders in New Zealand have been told to destroy documents, and child sex abuse survivors fear that will lead to the cover up of cases. Published in…

Peter Lineham talks about the issues arising from the unlikely defence by children’s author, Joy Cowley, of a disgraced bishop. Listen online at Radio New Zealand By the Panel Published…

The handling of historic sexual offending within the Catholic Diocese of Dunedin by then-Bishop John Kavanagh has been referred to the Vatican by New Zealand’s top Catholic. Published in Radio…

A support group for survivors of sexual abuse by priests wants more transparency over an agreement struck with the Catholic Diocese of Dunedin. But the call by Dr Christopher Longhurst,…

Warning: This story discusses issues related to rape and sexual violence. Survivors have extended an olive branch to those running the Royal Commission of Inquiry into state abuse. Laura Walters…

A Melbourne man is fighting to hold the Catholic church accountable for three clerics and a teacher who sexually violated him as a boy in Otago. Marc – RNZ won’t…

The man whose child sex abuse case gripped the city of Christchurch and the nation, has died. Peter Ellis’ death comes just five weeks before his last bid to clear…

A Catholic bishop who is part of the church’s response to the Royal Commission of inquiry into state abuse has offered his resignation to the Pope. Published in Radio New…

The Catholic bishop of Palmerston North is expected to resign after less than eight years in the job. Stuff understands Pope Francis has been asked, or will be asked on…

Abstract: The rate of violent victimization against children with disabilities is thought to be lower than the rate for children without disabilities but several studies shows otherwise. This paper is…

New Zealand’s Catholic bishops have been accused of lacking moral leadership as church groups decide whether to waive confidentiality clauses in compensation agreements reached with abuse survivors. Survivor advocates say…

Internal Affairs Minister Tracey Martin has refused to express confidence in the leadership of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care, after it was revealed a convicted child…

The commissioner embroiled in the latest scandal at the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care says he won’t be stepping down. Paul Gibson is responsible for the group…

Warning: This story discusses issues related to rape and sexual violence. Internal Affairs Minister Tracey Martin says she is “horrified” that a child sex offender attended meetings of the inquiry…

Warning: This story discusses issues related to rape and sexual violence. A member of a survivors’ group advising the Government’s abuse in care inquiry has skipped its latest meeting after…

The Network for Survivors of Abuse in Faith-based Institutions has published a guide for survivors who want to report to the Royal Commission. Download a copy of the guide (DOC…

A report evaluating the pilot of New Zealand’s first Sexual Violence Court says pilot cases are proceeding to jury trial about a third faster on average than previously. The evaluation…

Pedophile cardinal George Pell has lodged a special leave application with the High Court to try to challenge his convictions for sexually abusing choirboys. The 78-year-old pedophile remained behind bars…