CLANCY OVERELL | Editor | CONTACT
Australia’s highest profile institutional child rape conviction has today been overturned, following a high court ruling that has result in Cardinal George Pell walking free from prison.
The court earlier today unanimously found Pell’s conviction for child sex abuse should be overturned and he should immediately be released from prison.In a statement, Cardinal Pell said a serious injustice had been remedied by the High Court but that he had “no ill will towards his accuser”.
While Pell is now free to walk the quarantined streets of Melbourne as a free man, it seems his overturned conviction might not be that well recognised in regional Victoria – where countless more allegations have been lodged against him.
Outside of Pell’s now overturned conviction that alleged he had destroyed the lives of two choirboys in Melbourne during the 1990s – allegations continue to follow him in the church pedophilia hotbed of Ballarat
Not only was Pell born and raised in the city, but Ballarat has since become the epicentre of child rape at the hands of Pell’s colleagues, as found by the Royal Commission into the Catholic Church child abuse.
Pell has also been linked to alleged abuse of countless young Catholic boys in the town – with one case making it to trial before this one.
The case, which alleged Pell touched the victims as children at the Eureka Swimming Pool in the 1970s, was dropped in February due to “problems with evidence” – which basically means his supporters in the media were unable to not violate media gag orders.
Because of these constant miscarriages of justice for the child abuse survivors of rural Victoria, many recognise that it probably isn’t a good idea for Pell to visit his hometown anytime soon – for fear of locals sentencing him to something much more severe than 6 years in a low security prison with parole, before ultimately having his conviction quashed by a high court made up of rich old silks.
National Support Services
Bravehearts Inc – 1800 272 831
Counselling and support for survivors, child protection advocacy
1800 Respect – Call 1800 737 732 or visit www.1800respect.org.au. 24-hour telephone and online crisis support, information and immediate referral to specialist counselling for anyone in Australia who has experienced or been affected by sexual assault, or domestic or family violence.
Lifeline – Call 13 11 14 or visit www.lifeline.org.au. 24-hour crisis support and suicide prevention.
Kids Helpline – Call 1800 55 1800 or visit kidshelpline.com.au. Free, private and confidential 24/7 phone and online counselling service for young people.
Care Leavers Australasia Network – Call 1800 008 774
Support and advocacy for people brought up in care homesC
Child Wise – Call 1800 991 099
Trauma-informed telephone and online counselling for childhood abuse. Training and organisational capacity-building on child abuse prevention.
BlueKnot Foundation 1300 657 380 – Monday – Sunday 9am – 5pm AEST or via email [email protected]. If you have experienced childhood trauma, you can speak with a Blue Knot Helpline trauma counsellor including for support and applications around national redress.
