St Kevin’s College will be targeted in rallies against child sex abuse

A hearse will cut laps of elite private Melbourne schools as part of a planned rally against child sex abuse next week.

An outspoken advocate against child sex abuse is planning to drive hearse cars around the perimeter of St Kevin’s College, the Herald Sun can reveal.

The protest, planned for next week targeting both the junior and senior campuses, has been flagged to parents by the school’s principal Deborah Barker.

Ms Barker and other school officials have been in contact with the man, Michael Advocate. She and others have met with him on a number of occasions.

Mr Advocate, who formed the Victims Justice group, was abused as a 12-year-old boy at St Patrick’s in Sale, now known as Catholic College Sale.

An outspoken advocate against child sex abuse will rally outside of St Kevin's College next week.

He is understood to be targeting a number of Christian Brothers schools around the state, including St Kevin’s College, to protest against historical child sexual abuse.

Mr Advocate is well known for calling for former Catholic Archbishop George Pell to “burn in hell”. He has supported a number of child sex abuse survivors.

These included Roger McKenna, a former child sex abuse victim who was abused at St Kevin’s College more than 70 years ago.

Ms Barker wrote to parents on Friday telling them a “member of the public who advocates for historical child sex abuse victims may be planning to launch a protest program next week, targeting several Christian Brothers schools, commencing with St Kevin’s College, with the endeavour to gain attention from the media”.

“It is our hope that this does not eventuate, however please know that measures have been put in place by the College to manage this situation if it arises,” she wrote.

Data provided to the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse showed 853 people made either a claim or substantiated complaint of child sexual abuse against one or more Christian Brothers in Australia.

Throughout Australia, 281 Christian Brothers were subject to one or more claims or substantiated complaints of child sexual abuse, which accounts for 12 per cent of all known accused.