Silence, Secrecy and Power

Understanding the Royal Commission Findings into the Failure of Religious Organisations to Protect Children

Authors

  • Kathleen McPhillips University of Newcastle

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1558/jasr.37306

Keywords:

Catholic Church, institutional child sexual abuse, Australian Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, violence against children in religious organisations

Abstract

Religious groups represented over 60% of all institutions appearing before the Australian Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. This indicates that there are specific issues pertinent to the institutional cultures and structures of religious groups with regard to the sexual abuse of children. This warrants close investigation and analysis by scholars of religion. The article provides the background and context to the establishment of the Royal Commission, and an overview of the Commission's methodology and its investigation into religious organisations, as well as an analysis of the outcomes of that investigation via the Final Report. The report includes 57 specific recommendations for religious institutions, which, when closely considered, will constitute formidable challenges for faith traditions in transforming institutional culture while conforming to child safety standards. It is argued that the success of the Royal Commission is due to a multiplicity of factors including the outcomes of previous inquiries, the improved status of survivor testimony, and the innovative methodology employed to investigate organisations.

Author Biography

  • Kathleen McPhillips, University of Newcastle

    Kathleen McPhillips is a sociologist of religion and gender at the University of Newcastle, Australia. She has been researching institutional child sexual abuse in religious organisations for a number of years.

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Published

2019-06-25

How to Cite

McPhillips, K. (2019). Silence, Secrecy and Power: Understanding the Royal Commission Findings into the Failure of Religious Organisations to Protect Children. Journal for the Academic Study of Religion, 31(3), 116-142. https://doi.org/10.1558/jasr.37306