The final report on the abuse and neglect of children, young people and adults in the care of the State and faith-based institutions in Aotearoa New Zealand between 1950 and 1999 is here.
I’ve not yet read the whole thing, but I will. The history they reveal is a blight on New Zealand. Just a few extracts:
- 200,000 NZers in care were abused
- Around 1 in 3 in care were abused
- Some children were “trafficked” to members of the public for sex
- Patients at Lake Alice were tortured
- 14% of all diocesan clergy were accused of abuse
- Patients at Lake Alice were given electric shocks without anaesthetic
- Lake Alice patients were also given painful and immobilising paraldehyde injections as punishment and emotional control.
- Staff at the facilities encouraged fighting and abuse between the children
- Children at facilities faced severe corporal punishment, sometimes inflicted with weapons and to the genitals
This is not history from 100 years ago. This is the second half of the 20th century.
So many New Zealanders who suffered at the hands of the state and faith-based institutions. It must not happen again.
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