Abuse victim blasts Catholic Church compo ‘demands’
Lawyers representing a man who has launched legal action because of abuse by paedophile priest Victor Rubeo have accused the Catholic Church of continuing to traumatise victims of abuse by fighting claims for compensation.
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The Catholic Church has been accused of continuing to traumatise victims of child sex abuse as it fights claims for compensation over the crimes of known paedophiles.
Lawyers representing a man who has launched legal action because of abuse by paedophile priest Victor Rubeo said the church continued to make unnecessary demands of survivors while acting evasively in accepting responsibility for offending priests.
The man, now in his 60s, has alleged horrific abuse at the hands of Rubeo while he was a priest in Laverton, in Melbourne’s west, during the 1960s and ’70s.
Documents filed with the Supreme Court allege Rubeo abused the boy after encouraging his mother to let him work as an altar boy. After she agreed, Rubeo sexually assaulted and raped the boy.
A statement of claim alleged three specific incidents of abuse took place at the Laverton parish presbytery.
In one incident, the boy was changing into his altar-serving vestments when he was raped.
In another he invited a group of boys to his house and made them play card games naked before plying the complainant with alcohol and raping him. The claim alleged the church:
FAILED to put policies in place to ensure Rubeo could not sexually assault children;
PERMITTED Rubeo to be in a position of power, which was unchecked by supervision;
PLACED Rubeo in a position of control over the plaintiff when he was unsuitable for such a task; and
FAILED to adequately police the behaviours of Rubeo.
Maurice Blackburn Lawyers Associate John Rule said the assaults had left his client badly traumatised. Now in his 60s, the man has post traumatic stress disorder, depression and anxiety. He is claiming unspecified damages.
“Our client has shown tremendous courage in seeking justice after many decades of suffering. He has lived with a tremendous burden knowing what happened to him,” Mr Rule said.
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“The royal commission called for the Catholic Church to act as a model litigant when defending civil claims but, to date, they’re still making unnecessary demands of survivors and acting evasively in relation to accepting responsibility for offending priests.
“The church is not above the law. The safety and welfare of children must always come first. There have been too many cases of the church stonewalling and this only increases the harm.”
A response was sought from the Catholic Church.