Victims want to be consulted about the terms of reference

SURVIVORS of sexual abuse have called the royal commission decision a chance to "end the betrayal".

Mark Fabbro and Nicky Davis

SURVIVORS of sexual abuse at the hands of the Catholic Church have expressed shock that a federal royal commission into decades-long abuse has finally been announced, calling the decision a chance to "end the betrayal".

Nicky Davis, 49, who says she was assaulted for six years during the 1970s and 1980s by a Brother in a parish in Sydney's north, said the news was almost too big to digest.

Ms Davis said the abuse she suffered tormented her for years until she finally reported it in 2008 after seeing advertisements for Catholic World Youth Day.

"I have suffered and thousands of others like me have suffered a sort of re-abuse at the hands of the church as they try to make all of this go away," she told The Australian.

"I don't know how to feel; it is going to be huge to digest this news.

"The news that so many politicians are on board, Tony Abbott and of course Julia Gillard, it's so emotional, it's time to let that emotion out because this is an end to the betrayal and an end to the abandonment."

Ms Davis said her tormenter was found mentally unfit to stand trial and walked free in 2010.

She now helps run the Survivors Network for those Abused by Priests with Mark Fabbro, 51, who was raped during school hours and on school property by a Jesuit priest in Melbourne in 1971.

The abuse left him with limited ability to function in "normal society" and he spent years living in the bush away from people.

He said he was "exceptionally elated" at the news, but cautioned that the real work on getting it right had only begun.

"We don't want to get too excited too soon," he said.

"The good news is there will be powers to subpoena documents and get people into the witness box whether they like it or not.

"Hopefully, whoever the commissioner is will use those powers to bring forward any evidence that might have been covered up.

"What we want, and this is all we have ever asked for, is the truth.

"The success of this commission will be judged on that outcome."

Both Ms Davis and Mr Fabbro said they understood the inquiry would take a long time but were happy it was broad enough to take in organisations and institutions outside of the Catholic Church.

"I don't think there has been an institution in this country that has aided and abetted these crimes more than the Catholic Church, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't look at other cases too," Mr Fabbro said.

Ms Davis implored the Prime Minister to consult survivors.

"Please consult the victims about the terms of reference. We're the experts in how to get this right; we know how they got away with this, we know what they did wrong," she said.

"So please involve us, this is about us."