(a) What are the suggested figures for the prevalence of sexual abuse against girls, and against boys, in our community?

(b) Do these figures vary depending on peoples' professed religious convictions?

(c) Do you have any reason to believe that the prevalence of sexual abuse against children is markedly different in clergy families, compared with other families?

(d) How many allegations of sexual misconduct by clergy listed in the current yearbook have been brought to your attention?

(e) How many of these allege sexual abuse of children?

(f) How many have been formally investigated?

(g) When an unprovable allegation of sexual misconduct is made against a clergyman, in what ways does our diocese provide as much ongoing support to the alleged victim, as it does to protecting the reputation of the alleged perpetrator?

(h) What steps are you considering to ensure that our procedures are more effective in supporting those who risk coming forward with allegations of sexual misconduct by church workers?

To which the President replied -

I am advised that the answers are as follows -

(a) On the Anglicare video "Behind Closed Doors", Professor Kim Oates states that the research suggests that one in four girls are sexually abused before age 18 and one in seven boys are sexually abused before age 18.

In his book "Child Sexual Abuse and the Churches" at page 16 and following, Professor Patrick Parkinson, an acknowledged expert in the area, quotes various surveys of adults about their childhood experiences of sexual abuse. Some figures quoted for claimed sexual incidents involving a child under thirteen and a perpetrator who was at least five years older or involving a young person between 13 and 16 years old and another person who was at least ten years older are:

Girls: 19% (in a 1979 US study) and 27.6% (in a 1988 Australian study);

Boys: 8% (Britain) and 9% (Australia) and 16% (US 1990).

The Archbishop has no special knowledge or expertise outside of this literature and cannot vouch for the accuracy or otherwise of the figures quoted.

The questioner is also referred to the Final Report of the Wood Royal Commission into the NSW Police Service (1997) Vol. IV paras. 3.9 - 3.15 where there is a detailed exposition of the complexity of the issue of the incidence of child sexual abuse.

(b) There is no view expressed on the Anglicare video "Behind Closed Doors" as to whether "professed religious convictions" causes the figures to vary.

Professor Parkinson does not express a view either way in his book.

The Wood Royal Commission Report Vol. V paras. 11.44 - 11.48 quotes a report which says "there is no firm basis to argue that the figure (for the rate of sexual abuse or violations of sexual boundaries within religious communities) was disproportionately higher than that found in the population of other professional groups".

(c) No.

(d) 16. These date from 1981 and include the trivial and suspicious through to the more substantial.

(e) 1.

(f) 1. Where there has not been a "formal" investigation this is because either the information is hearsay or anonymous or because the complainant has not been prepared to continue with the allegation.

(g) The question is based on an assumption which I do not accept.

The sexual protocol and Church Discipline Ordinance 1996 are set up to ensure that allegations are properly investigated and dealt with whilst at the same time the rights of the alleged perpetrators are protected. Support is provided to complainants by way of counselling.

(h) The procedures are under constant review. Any suggestion as to how they may be improved would be welcome.