Chapter 18 — Residential Laundries, Novitiates, Hostels and other settings

Current circumstances

At the time of their hearing most witnesses were or had been employed for a substantial period of their lives. Table 115 illustrates the employment status of witnesses at the time of their hearing:

Employment status	Males	Females	Total witnesses
Employed	3	3	6
Retired	0	3	3
Disability income	2	2	4
Unemployed	4	1	5
Self-employed	2	1	3
Working at home	1	3	4
Total	12	13	25

Four (4) of the witnesses who were unemployed described a history of alcohol/drug abuse and/or reported that they had served a period in prison. Others reported that they had periods of employment but were unable to settle, had difficulties with authority in the workplace or with peers, and as a result they changed jobs frequently. A number of witnesses reported that they had been successful in their own businesses where they valued their autonomy and had control over their work situation. Others sought work where they were isolated and did not have to mix with colleagues: ‘It was after all the staff left, I had a cleaning job everyone was gone and I was on my own, it suited me that way, I didn’t mix.’

The following table illustrates witnesses’ occupational status6 at the time of their hearing:

Occupational status	Males	Females	Total witnesses
Professional	0	1	1
Non-manual	3	2	5
Semi-skilled	1	1	2
Unskilled	5	9	14
Managerial	2	0	2
Skilled manual	1	0	1
Total	12	13	25

More than half the witnesses were categorised as unskilled, a number of them reported that they had received an inadequate education and that their employment opportunities were limited. Nine (9) witnesses reported that they were still working at the time of their hearing.

The majority of witnesses reported having stable housing arrangements, including more than half who owned their own homes. The following table outlines witnesses’ accommodation type reported by them at the time of their hearing:

Accommodation	Males	Females	Total witnesses
Owner Occupiers	5	9	14
Local authority/council housing	1	2	3
Private rented accommodation	1	0	1
Institution	1	0	1
With friends	1	0	1
Unavailable	3	2	5
Total	12	13	25

Four (4) witnesses reported that they had periods of homelessness or had spent periods of time in transient accommodation.

Witnesses provided information about their general health and well-being either directly or in the context of describing other aspects of their lives in the course of their hearing. For the purpose of writing this Report the Committee categorised the witnesses’ physical and mental health status as good, reasonable or poor based on their past and current health history provided by them at their hearing.

The following table describes the current status of witnesses’ physical health:

Physical health status	Males	Females	Total witnesses
Good	6	5	11
Reasonable	4	4	8
Poor	1	4	5
No record	1	0	1
Total	12	13	25

Witnesses whose health was categorised as good described a range of arthritic, bronchial or vascular conditions that were not considered by them to be debilitating. Those witnesses who described reasonable physical health reported having conditions associated with arthritis, circulation and back pain. Five (5) witnesses who described poor physical health reported histories of hypertension and digestive disorders that had a significant impact on their day-to-day lives. I got lots of complications nervous tummy, that’s tension. I’m on tablets for blood pressure and the tension...

Witnesses described considerable mental health difficulties that in many instances continued to affect their everyday lives. The following table provides an overview of the mental health status described by witnesses:

Mental health status	Males	Females	Total witnesses
Good	1	3	4
Reasonable	6	4	10
Poor	5	6	11
Total	12	13	25

Four (4) witnesses who described good mental health reported that their early adult lives were marked by ‘turmoil’, including unplanned pregnancies, suicide attempts, and episodes of depression. Those who said they were now living more fulfilled and independent lives stated that among the factors that had contributed to their recovery were receiving counselling, hearing apologies issued by their abusers and having their abuse acknowledged.

The witnesses whose mental health was categorised by the Committee as reasonable based on the information provided reported suffering occasionally with anxiety, depression and problems related to alcohol abuse. Witnesses also described feelings of sadness and resentment about past abuse that at times led to tearfulness. Many witnesses reported that these concerns continued to negatively effect their lives notwithstanding their attempts to suppress painful memories.

The 11 witnesses whose mental health was categorised as poor reported a history of depression, repeated suicide attempts, alcohol abuse and repeated hospital admissions. They described high levels of anxiety, sleep disturbance, ongoing suicidal thoughts and attempts. Half of those witnesses reported requiring continued medication. Other aspects of mental health difficulties described were feelings of paranoia, volatility and at times feeling ‘tortured’ with flashbacks. The witnesses reported that their experiences of childhood abuse continued to affect their lives, contributing to trauma and ill health that impacted on their family and work relationships. I was very ill, I was hospitalised...I would be very edgy...the doctor asked me a few questions. He recommended me to go to see the psychiatric unit.... I have been attending counselling since, I am on medication...

More that half the witnesses who reported abuse in residential work and other settings reported episodes of self-harm and suicidal thoughts; six had attempted to take their own lives.

Nineteen (19) witnesses described ongoing distress and difficulty coping with their personal, family and work lives. They reported that they continued to suffer with a range of problems associated with the trauma of their abuse. One female witness gave an account of a recurring nightmare where she ‘is locked there for life’; her previous experience of being forced to stay in a closed institution was described as having had an enduring effect on her adult life.