Chapter 17 — Primary and second-level schools

Sexual abuse

Male and female witnesses reported being sexually abused by 17 religious teaching staff and by four lay teachers. Eleven (11) school Principals, six religious and five lay, were also identified by witnesses as perpetrators of sexual abuse. Three (3) witnesses reported being abused, including by vaginal and anal rape, by external priests who had an association with the school in a pastoral role. Two (2) witnesses reported being sexually abused by unnamed older pupils in two boarding schools, including one report of rape. One female religious staff member in a boarding school was reported by a male witness to have sexually abused him by inappropriate fondling.

A male witness reported that he was abused both in primary and second-level school by two religious Brothers from the same Community. He described being first abused before he was 10 years old while isolated from other pupils. The reported abuse progressed to masturbation and oral/genital contact. The witness stated that in the course of being sexually abused he was severely physically abused and was hospitalised as a result. The witness also reported that when he moved to the second-level school he was subjected to various forms of sexual abuse, including rape, by a different teacher who was also a religious Brother attached to the same Community. The witness reported that in both schools he was deliberately separated from his peers by his abusers prior to being abused.

Neglect

Failure to care for the child which results, or could reasonably be expected to result, in serious impairment of the physical or mental health or development of the child or serious adverse effects on his or her behaviour or welfare.5 This section presents the evidence of witness reports of neglect in primary and second-level schools. The reports referred to the neglect of safety and failure to protect witnesses from abuse, contributing to neglect of their education and welfare.

Nine (9) witnesses, five male and four female, reported neglect in relation to nine primary and second-level schools. The accounts were combined with reports of physical, sexual and emotional abuse. The most frequently reported combination of abuse with neglect was emotional abuse.

Neglect of education and lack of protection were the most commonly reported areas of neglect by witnesses from primary and second-level schools, the majority of whom were in the care of their parents and living at home.

A number of witnesses commented that their abusive experiences left them lacking confidence and fearful of teachers. They reported being unable to benefit from further educational opportunities, were unsuccessful in exams and in some instances withdrew from school. Two (2) of those witnesses stated that a pattern of truancy and school avoidance developed in an effort to avoid abuse and that their persistent absences left them without skills or academic achievements.

Other witnesses reported that their education was neglected as a result of abuse, criticism and fear in the classroom. Six (6) witnesses stated that they were stigmatised because they had learning difficulties or were from socially deprived backgrounds and, therefore, were considered to be undeserving of an education. Three (3) of those witnesses reported that they left school before the official school leaving age and that no assessment was made of their specific learning needs. One male witness commented that he was illiterate when he left school having been ignored by his teacher who regarded him as ‘riff-raff’.

Most of the nine witnesses reported that teachers and other lay and religious staff did not protect them, despite having observed inappropriate behaviour or having been informed of physical and sexual abuse.

In a number of instances witnesses believed their parents were prevailed upon by their abusers to dismiss the witnesses’ reports of abuse. One witness commented ‘no one asked me what was wrong, I wanted to die so badly’. A male witness who stated that his mother reported his persistent and severe physical abuse to the religious Principal in charge of the school was subsequently beaten and warned not to make any further complaint.

Others believed that their safety and welfare was neglected by school staff and external professionals due to the status of their abusers as religious persons, teachers or prominent members of the community.

Emotional abuse

Any other act or omission towards the child which results, or could reasonably be expected to result, in serious impairment of the physical or mental health or development of the child or serious adverse effects on his or her behaviour or welfare.6 This section describes witness accounts of emotional abuse by failure to protect from abuse and harm resulting in fear for their own and others’ safety. Emotional abuse refers to both actions and inactions by school staff who had responsibility for the safety of pupils. The Committee further heard reports of being verbally abused by critical, hostile and demeaning comments. Witness experiences of humiliation and ridicule were also described. Emotional abuse was reported to have had a negative impact on witnesses’ social, psychological and emotional well-being and to have had an enduring effect on their lives.

The Committee heard 32 reports of emotional abuse from 24 male and eight female witnesses. Two (2) primary schools were each the subject of two reports of emotional abuse and the remaining 28 schools were the subject of single reports. Twenty one (21) of the 28 schools were primary schools and seven were second-level schools.

There were 30 witness reports of emotional abuse in combination with other forms of abuse. The majority of accounts of emotional abuse referred to the circumstances in which the respective witnesses reported being either physically or sexually abused.

Witnesses from a number of schools reported that they experienced persistent emotional abuse in the context of being exposed to criticism, ridicule and humiliation. They also described being constantly vigilant about the next episode of physical abuse and of feeling ashamed and fearful regarding their experiences of sexual abuse.

Twenty four (24) witnesses described being routinely humiliated and ridiculed for reasons including being the child of single parents or of impoverished background, academic failure, poor hygiene, having an unusual name or accent and having a physical disability. A male witness reported that he was made to wear a girl’s dress while he was publicly beaten. A female witness stated that she was forced to stand in a corner wearing a placard declaring that her family were poor. The religious Sister who taught her repeatedly told the class ‘you don’t want to turn out like ... (witness’s name)...’.