This will be an archive of heinous actions by those involved in child welfare, foster care and adoption. We forewarn you that these are deeply disturbing stories that may involve sex abuse, murder, kidnapping and other horrendous actions.
From Darwin, Australia, “Lorna Cubillo, 76, will be the first Northern Territory witness to give evidence at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.”
From her birthplace at Banka Banka Station in central Australia in 1938 to Darwin’s Supreme Court on Monday
morning, it has been a long walk to justice for Lorna Cubillo.
Ms Cubillo, 76, will be the first Northern Territory witness to give evidence at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, which will focus for the next fortnight on the Retta Dixon home, where Ms Cubillo lived from 1947 to 1956.
The Territory government commissioned the Aborigines Inland Mission (AIM) to operate the home from 1946 to 1980 inside a building reclaimed from the Army occupation during the Second World War.
Wedged between the Bagot Aboriginal Hospital and the Bagot Aboriginal Reserve, about eight kilometres from Darwin’s CBD, the home’s residents were primarily part-Aboriginal children and some unmarried mothers and women.
Ms Cubillo took on the Commonwealth government about 15 years ago when a test case in the Federal Court was launched to determine whether the government would have to pay compensation for the brutal policies Aboriginal people were subjected to, including her removal from her family as part of the Stolen Generation.
Although she lost that case, the fight continues, and she will tell the Royal Commission about her time spent at the home from the age of about nine until she was 18.
She will be joined in giving evidence by about eight other former residents, house parent Lola Wall, the general director of AIM Reverend Trevor Leggott, the CEO of the Department of Attorney-General and Justice for the NT, and the NT’s Children’s Commissioner, among others.
The royal commission will hear the experience of men and women who were sexually abused as children while in care, and examine how the evangelical administrators of the home, the NT and commonwealth governments responded to allegations of abuse against workers who were employed at the home.
The hearing will also look at the response of the NT police force and the Director of Public Prosecutions in 1975 and 2002 to allegations raised by residents of the home against Donald Henderson, who was a house parent from 1964 – 1975.
The commission will also inquire into current NT laws and policies governing children in out-of-home care as well as redress schemes available to the Retta Dixon Home abuse victims.”
Inquiry will focus on Aboriginal child abuse at Retta Dixon home[SBS 9/21/14 ]
”
Former residents of the Northern Territory’s Retta Dixon home say they want to lift the secrecy over what happened at the facility by giving evidence before a child sex abuse inquiry in Darwin.
The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse is expected to hear evidence from 18 witnesses during its two-week hearing in Darwin, focusing on alleged events at the home, which housed Aboriginal children and young women.
Retta Dixon was run by the NT government, which commissioned the Aborigines Inland Mission – an interdenominational Christian group now known as the Australian Indigenous Ministries – to operate the home from 1946 until 1980, when it closed.
One woman due to give evidence spoke with the ABC as she walked into the hearing, although on condition of anonymity.
She said it would be an emotional time for her but she wanted the truth to come out.
“A lot of people told their stories and were ridiculed,” she said.
“That is a very hard thing to get up and talk about that misery.”
A senior lawyer with the Know More legal service, acting for several Aboriginal people allegedly abused at Retta Dixon, said they wanted to tell their stories.
“[People want] the terrible things that have happened to them acknowledged and recognised, and to be heard, and to also seek recompense and some sort of redress for the suffering that they have endured,” Laura McDonough said.
“There are a number of measures that can assist people to improve the quality of their lives and the suffering that they have endured.
Roseanne Brennan lived at the home in the 1950s when aged 10, and as she walked into the hearing she said life at the home was hard.
“Most of us had to double up in beds,” Ms Brennan said.
“[There was] very minimal food and not very nutritious food at that. You know bread and dripping and that sort of thing, weevily porridge.
“There is not a lot you can take off children that have got nothing and are starving, but they found ways to punish you.”
Joyce Napurrula-Schroeder said of life at Retta Dixon home: “You never get over it.”
Another former resident said the truth had been hidden for too long, and she hoped the proceedings would improve government care of children in need.
“We put it in the too-shameful cupboard 60 years ago,” she said, asking that her name not be used.
Ministry ‘unaware of events’ at Retta Dixon
Reverend Trevor Leggott, the general director of Australian Indigenous Ministries, said he would attend the hearing but that the group could not shed light on any alleged abuse.
“Organisationally, we are unaware of events that took place up here all those years ago,” Mr Leggott said as he walked into the hearing.
He said he was not sure whether any of the ministers at Retta Dixon would have allegations of child sex abuse levelled at them, but said some ministers had since died.”
Child sex abuse inquiry: Ex-residents of Darwin’s Retta Dixon home to appear at inquiry[ABC 9/22/14 by Xavier La Canna]
REFORM Puzzle Piece
Update: “Children as young as seven were raped by other children at the Retta Dixon home for Indigenous wards of the state, the child sexual abuse royal commission has heard.
Veronica Johns, 56, had two supporters sit with her in the witness box as she gave evidence of the abuse she suffered at the Northern Territory home, where she lived from the age of three to 15.
She was seven when she was twice raped by an older boy at the home, which was operated in Darwin by the Aborigines Inland Mission from 1946 until 1980 for mixed race Aboriginal children who had been taken from their families.
She recounted numerous incidents of boys molesting girls at the home and said the superintendent, Mervyn Pattemore, never took any action.
Her younger brother, Kevin Stagg, 54, told the commission he was about four when he was taken to the home.
The environment was highly sexualised among the children, he said, and games and conversations had sexual connotations.
He told the commission under privilege that a house parent, Donald Henderson, was a large, intimidating man who raped him when he was seven while collecting eggs from the chook shed.
At the same time, three older boys were grooming him for sex and he then became the “property” of an older boy, who raped him three times.
He was sexually molested twice a week until he was about 10, and hassled and set up for punishments if he refused, he said.
“If you let them abuse you, life was a lot easier,” Stagg told the commission.
Once he was taken to hospital after a rape by Henderson, who wouldn’t let him speak to hospital staff and told them other children had done it, Stagg told the commission.
“Sometimes we had to wear diapers … to school so the blood didn’t come out on the school uniform,” he said.
He tried to tell Pattemore about Henderson, but says the superintendent accused him of lying and caned him until he said it was the other boys who had done it.
Stagg never reported the incidents to police: “They are the authorities and the authorities are the people who abuse you.”
After leaving the home he was imprisoned several times for various crimes and developed heroin and alcohol addictions.
Stagg said he hadn’t really been a father to his 15 children.
“I’m not proud of that, I’m disgusted by it,” he wept.
“I have to live with the fact that I was brought into this world to be somebody’s sexual plaything, and as a result I have gone out into the world and been involved in sex, drugs and violence.”
The royal commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse hearing in Darwin continues.”
Child abuse inquiry told children raped by other children in Darwin home [The Guardian 9/23/14 by Australian Associated Press]
“A Christian organisation that ran a Northern Territory home where Indigenous children were sexually abused says it cannot afford to compensate its victims because that would mean curtailing its missionary work.
Darwin’s Retta Dixon home was run by the Aborigines Inland Mission – now the Australian Indigenous Ministries, or AIM – from 1946 until 1980 when abuses were perpetrated against resident Indigenous children who had been stolen from their families.
AIM general director the Rev Trevor Leggott, who has headed the organisation since 1996, and says he did not know of the abuse claims – some of which date back more than 60 years – before last week.
He made a formal apology to victims a day before his appearance on Tuesday at the royal commission into institutional responses to child abuse sitting in Darwin.
He said AIM had few resources and could not afford to pay compensation, but then admitted under questioning that it owned several properties worth $4.1m.
Leggott said he had not considered selling the two not tied up in trusts to offer victims redress, as that would mean cutting back some of its ministries. [Aw! Too Bad!]
“I’m not sure what money does in terms of compensation, to be honest,” he told the commission.
“The hurt that’s been caused to these people is not going to be fixed by money.”
John Lawrence, representing several victims, asked: “Why can’t you and your brethren do the right thing, sell your assets, put your money into a fund so these people who have been horrendously abused at the hands of your staff can be compensated like any other Australian citizen would expect?
“Because I believe what we are doing now is more constructive than that would be,” Leggott replied.
In 1966, Retta Dixon carer Reginald Powell pleaded guilty to three counts of indecent assault against three boys.
In 1973, carer Lola Wall reported allegations of sexual abuse by her colleague Donald Henderson to management, meriting a visit by a representative from the Sydney headquarters who said there was a lack of evidence.
After more forceful complaints by another missionary two years later, Henderson was committed to stand trial in 1976 for raping and molesting several children, although prosecutors dropped the charges.
But Leggott said none of these events were recorded in AIM files.
He was also unaware of Henderson’s second committal to stand trial for separate sexual abuses of Retta Dixon children in 2002 when he was AIM’s general director.
“That shocked me, actually, when I saw the date, because I thought, ‘Fair enough, if something happened in 1975 we’re not going to hear about it, but in 2002 why wasn’t I informed?’” he told the commission.
He later recalled hearing third-hand that “something happened some time” at the home relating to sexual abuse but made no inquiries, and didn’t investigate whether AIM had provided any counselling or compensation to complainants.
He said he and his colleagues were “disgusted” to learn of the abuses committed at the home but could not take responsibility for what was done by others so long ago.
He said he would not accept responsibility on behalf of AIM to compensate the victims.
The inquiry continues.”
Christian group says it cannot afford to compensate Retta Dixon abuse victims[The Guardian 10/1/14 by Australian Associated Press]
Update 2:”During eight days of hearings in Darwin, the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse heard graphic testimony of what went on at Retta Dixon, a facility that operated from 1946 until 1980.
It was enough to cause some in the gallery of Darwin’s Supreme Court to shudder. Others shed tears.
A child at Retta Dixon who suffered seizures was allegedly tied up like a dog to a bed, and fed on the ground with an enamel plate.
Children at the home were raped, the inquiry heard, including some so badly they were forced to go to hospital where they were watched by their abuser to make sure they did not alert authorities.
One man told the inquiry of having to wear nappies to school as a boy to stop the bleeding after being sexually assaulted.
Other children were allegedly flogged with a belt until they bled.
The facility housed mainly Aboriginal children, including many who identified as being part of the Stolen Generations, and had been taken from their families far away.
It was run by Aborigines Inland Mission, a religious group now known as Australian Indigenous Ministry (AIM).
More tears were shed when the royal commission took those who lived at Retta Dixon down to the site where the buildings once stood.
Alleged victims at Retta Dixon are now looking for answers, hoping to see perpetrators brought to justice and trying to make sure the errors of the past are not repeated.
Allegations included rape of children
In the 34 years it operated only one worker at Retta Dixon – Reginald Powell – was ever convicted of crimes allegedly committed there.
Powell admitted molesting a 10-year-old boy and two 13-year-old boys in early 1966, but blamed weariness, work pressures and Darwin’s climate for his actions.
He said in statements to police that the affections of the children were “more or less encouraging” him and after apologising for what he did he was handed a $250, three-year good behaviour bond.
But there were numerous other allegations made over the years.
Scores alone concerned one man – paedophile Donald Bruce Henderson – who worked as a so-called “house parent” at Retta Dixon during the 1960s and 1970s.
“Once I was taken to the old Darwin hospital with a bleeding anus from being abused by Henderson. I was about nine years old.
“I was not allowed to speak to the hospital staff as Henderson was standing next to me.
“Sometimes we had to wear diapers to school so the blood didn’t come out on the school uniform.
“Some of the other kids at school knew and we used to protect each other if the other kids teased us.”
– Kevin Stagg statement to the royal commission
Mr Henderson twice had court action against him for sexually abusing children dropped, once in 1976 and again in 2002.
He was convicted in 1984 of molesting two boys at Darwin’s Casuarina Pool, long after Retta Dixon had closed, but was freed on a $500, two-year good behaviour bond.
A police document showed 86 counts against Mr Henderson that included charges of buggery, sexual assault and indecent assaults between 1966 and 1973, were withdrawn by authorities.
References were made at the royal commission to Mr Henderson adopting two children from Retta Dixon, and a note on a police file indicated the sex offender may have been linked to the YMCA.
Other allegations of sexual assault were levelled against Retta Dixon house parents and by younger kids against older ones.
None of the allegations have so far led to convictions.
The royal commission heard that despite some people who worked at Retta Dixon being concerned about mistreatment of the children, police who spoke to a manager at the facility were told he was unaware of the claims.
Resident ‘chained like dog’
Lorna Cubillo, 76, lived in the home for about nine years until she was 16.
She told the commission about being groped by house parent Desmond Walter, and then beaten for refusing to clean his residence.
One of the disturbing allegations from Ms Cubillo was that a friend of hers, Ruth Dooney, was chained up like a dog to her bed, from where she was fed on the ground and forced to use a bucket as a toilet.
“Ruth used to have fits and was chained up with a dog chain to her bed because of the fits,” Ms Cubillo said.
“[She] often had bad chaffing around her ankle where the chain would rub.”
Faeces rubbed in face
There were numerous other types of mistreatment of children at Retta Dixon described during the royal commission.
One witness, known only as AKV to preserve anonymity, said their sister was punished by being tied up and having faeces rubbed in her face.
“My sister would sometimes be tied to the clothesline, or have faeces rubbed in her face, maybe just for looking at Ms Parker the wrong way. [The sister] was very young at the time. I remember one time she was deliberately burnt with hot water by Ms Parker.”
– Evidence from AKV to royal commission
Several witnesses talked about being physically abused.
Ms Cubillo said she was usually hit with a belt across the legs as punishment.
She told the commision that when she was 14 years old, house parent Desmond Walter made her bleed.
“He hit me on the legs, hands and back. He hit me with the buckle end of the belt and it cut me on my breast, near the nipple,” Ms Cubillo said.
Another witness at the hearing, 64-year-old Sandra Kitching, said as punishment for confronting a house parent she was stripped of some of her clothes and chained up in a spare room by a house parent called Mr Pounder.
‘Mistakes’ in investigation, prosecution
The royal commission heard details of how allegations against Mr Henderson took a long time to be investigated and, despite solid evidence to support the charges, they were dropped by the Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP).
Former police detective Roger Newman began his investigation into Mr Henderson in the late 1990s and came under fire in the commission for taking too long to find out that Mr Henderson had abused other children in the past.
John Lawrence SC, who represented some of Mr Henderson’s alleged victims, grilled the former policeman for not following up witnesses for statements.
“That wasn’t something, that wasn’t the line of inquiry that I was following and if I’ve made a mistake now, so be it,” Mr Newman said in evidence.
The inquiry also heard that once the investigation had been completed there were problems with the way it was handled by the DPP’s office.
Current NT magistrate Michael Carey worked as general counsel to the DPP in November 2002.
He was the one who at the time gave pivotal advice that saw charges against Mr Henderson dropped, shortly before the trial.
“In my view there is no prospect of having this matter go before the jury, let alone obtaining a conviction.”
– Former general counsel to DPP (now NT magistrate) Michael Carey in 2002 memo
At the royal commission he said he had no “independent recollection” of the advice, which he admitted did not meet prosecutor guidelines.
The guidelines showed it should have had a reference or analysis for new trials for Mr Henderson, and include references to Mr Henderson’s history as a convicted sex offender.
Neither of those were done.
The advice was contentious as the 15 allegations against Mr Henderson had already passed the committal stage of the court action, meaning they were found to have enough evidence to take to trial.
Mr Carey also admitted the decision in 2002 was made within 24 hours of getting the file on Mr Henderson but could not explain why it was done in such haste.
Commission chair Justice Peter McClellan said there was “crystal clear” evidence to support charges against Mr Henderson.
“In these cases from what you have read there was plainly evidence to support the charges.”
– Royal commission chair Peter McClellan to current NT DPP Jack Karczewski
The NT’s current DPP, Jack Karczewski QC, said if the charges came before him, he would pursue them.
Where to now for former Retta Dixon residents?
Some alleged victims of Retta Dixon say they are determined to get redress for what they went through, and are seeking fresh charges to be laid against Mr Henderson.
At least one was angry alleged perpetrators did not appear, and thought they were getting off too easily.
After the royal commission wrapped up its Darwin hearings a group formally complained to police to try to get new charges against Mr Henderson laid.
The ABC understands that an NT policeman with the Sex Crimes section sat in on some of the commission hearings, and has been in touch with at least one alleged victim.
Some people who were housed at Retta Dixon are also seeking financial compensation.
The commission heard that one former Retta Dixon resident has been paid nearly $27,000 for abuse suffered in 1975, although the money was said to be for events unrelated to their time at the home.
There is nothing to stop alleged victims at Retta Dixon from claiming Victims of Crime compensation, even though their allegations have not been proved in court.
Such claims are decided on the balance of probabilities, not the tougher test of beyond reasonable doubt, which court cases rely on for convictions.
Some former Retta Dixon residents have pointed the finger at AIM, which ran the home, and want them to pay compensation.
The current head AIM, Reverend Trevor Leggott, apologised at the royal commission for the sexual and physical abuse people suffered at Retta Dixon, but has indicated his group cannot offer money to the victims.
He said to do so would jeopardise the group’s current work.
“I know there can be recompense in terms of money, but I know the hurt that has been caused to these people is not going to be fixed by money.”
– Reverend Trevor Leggot, general director of AIM
Documents handed to the inquiry showed AIM had net assets of about $4.4 million last year.
Some have said the assets should be sold off to pay for compensation claims, but Reverend Leggott indicated properties were mostly held by trusts and local churches, not by AIM itself.
The inquiry also heard that the Commonwealth Government, not AIM, may have been ultimately responsible for the welfare of children at Retta Dixon.
Other legal options being considered involve civil action against the 78-year-old Mr Henderson.
At the royal commission Reverend Leggott said the proceedings had driven the name of his organisation into the ground.
The Retta Dixon home was levelled by Cyclone Tracy in 1974 and the site where the facility once stood is now a fairly barren public park.
A group of Retta Dixon survivors say they will push to have the land returned to them.”
Sex abuse and violence: Secrets of Retta Dixon home for Aboriginal children laid bare at royal commission[ABC 10/8/14 by Xavier La Canna]
Dear Royal Commission members,
I am glad that finally someone is thinking about human suffering
that shouldn’t have happened to anyone in this world.
Young ladies, CPS social workers make our lives miserable, children’s lives without families and the way they are come and take a child reminds me on cases indigenous children were taken. What ever mistake their parents make, it is more than cruel come to child’s home early in the morning, grab sleeping child and shout at him/her as if a child is to blame for mistake of adults. That way they have taken my granddaughter will be remembered ,as she said, whole her life with a scar on her soul. .Please stop this cruelty. The government should help families instead spending billions on making our lives stressful.