Chapter 7 — Record of abuse (male witnesses)

Record of abuse (male witnesses)

This chapter describes the nature and extent of abuse reported in evidence to the Committee by 413 male witnesses in relation to 26 Industrial and Reformatory Schools in Ireland. The 413 witnesses made 482 reports of abuse regarding the four types of abuse defined by the Acts.1 Those four types are physical and sexual abuse, neglect and emotional abuse. Not all 26 Schools were reported for each of the four types of abuse.

The report of abuse by a witness may either refer to descriptions of single episodes or to multiple experiences of being abused in a School. In most instances reports of abuse refer to more than one episode of abuse and more than one type of abuse. One hundred and sixty six (166) witness reports (34%) were of all four types of abuse. Sixty eight (68) witnesses reported abuse in more than one School.

The chapter is divided into five parts, addressing each of the four abuse types and describing what was known about the abuse at the time it occurred. The reports of abuse compiled in this chapter refer to admissions and discharges to Schools between 1922 and 1989. Twenty four (24) of these reports refer to abuse in both Schools and ‘Other Institutions’. All the reports of abuse in relation to ‘Other Institutions’ are referred to elsewhere in the Report. 2 3

For the purpose of compiling this Report, witness evidence is presented by period of discharge as follows: pre-1960s, 1960s, 1970s and 1980s. Witnesses, who were discharged in one period, may have spent time in out-of-home care in the previous decade(s). 4

As previously stated a number of witnesses were admitted to more than one School and reported abuse in more than one School. Three hundred and twenty five (325) witnesses made reports about abuse in one School, the other 68 witnesses reported as follows: Sixty three (63) witnesses reported abuse in two Schools. One witness reported abuse in three different Schools. Three (3) witnesses reported abuse in two Schools and one ‘Other Institution’. One witness reported abuse in two Schools and two ‘Other Institutions’. Twenty (20) witnesses reported abuse in one School and one ‘Other Institution’.

Physical abuse

The wilful, reckless or negligent infliction of physical injury on, or failure to prevent such injury to, the child.5 Four hundred and sixteen (416) or 86% of male abuse reports refer to senior Schools for boys.

This section describes reports of actual incidents of physical abuse, non-accidental injury and lack of protection from such abuse given in evidence by witnesses to the Committee. The types of physical abuse reported included hitting, punching, kicking, flogging, and bodily assault with implements. The Committee heard disturbing accounts of severe assaults causing injuries that required medical intervention. Witnesses also reported being abused by being immersed in water, being burned, and subjected to what they believed to be deliberate and persistent physical cruelty.

There were 474 reports of physical abuse involving 26 Schools given in evidence by 403 male witnesses (98%), some of whom were admitted to more than one School. While many witnesses reported that the abuse was pervasive, they particularly wished to report extraordinary incidents from their experience. Other witnesses reported multiple episodes of physical abuse. Witnesses reported being physically abused by religious and lay staff and others including: visiting clergy, members of the general public and men in work and holiday placements. Witnesses also reported being physically abused by co-residents.

The number of witness reports heard in relation to physical abuse in different Schools varied, as follows: Four (4) Schools were collectively the subject of 230 reports.6 Four (4) Schools were the subject of 20-34 reports, totalling 111 reports. Eight (8) Schools were the subject of 6-19 reports, totalling 86 reports. Ten (10) Schools were the subject of 1-5 reports, totalling 18 reports.

The Schools that were the subject of 230 reports accounted for 49% of all physical abuse reports by male witnesses.

Physical abuse was reported in combination with the other three types of abuse. There were 166 reports of combinations of all four abuse types reported by the male witnesses. See Table 18:

Abuse types	Number of reports	%
Physical, emotional, neglect and sexual	166	35
Physical, emotional and neglect	120	25
Physical and neglect	66	14
Physical, neglect and sexual	49	10
Physical	24	5
Physical, emotional and sexual	20	4
Physical and emotional	15	3
Physical and sexual	14	3
Total reports	474	(100)*

In total 249 witness reports of physical abuse (53%) were combined with reports of sexual abuse and 24 reports refer to physical abuse alone.

The following table shows the distribution of witness accounts of physical abuse across the decades covered by this Report.

Decade of discharge	Number of physical abuse reports	%
Pre-1960s	197	42
1960-69	202	43
1970-79	58	12
1980-89	17	4
Total	474	(100)*

While the largest number of physical abuse reports (202) related to the period of discharge 1960-1969, 77 of those witnesses spent the greatest proportion of their time in the Schools during the preceding decade.

Witnesses described a daily existence that involved the possibility of being hit by a staff member at any time, for any reason or for no reason. Witnesses also reported being physically abused by co-residents. It is notable that witnesses at times described daily, casual and random physical abuse as normal and wished to report only the times when the frequency and severity of the abuse was such that they were injured or in fear for their lives. Three hundred and forty six (346) of the 403 witnesses reported that they were subjected to frequent physical violence; they described a climate of pervasive fear in the Schools and provided consistent reports of generally not knowing why they were being beaten.