Public Inquiry : Survivors as equals at the table, and needs unmet thus far.There is a world of difference between ‘survivor-led’ and ‘survivor-consulted’.

*There is a world of difference between ‘survivor-led’ and ‘survivor-consulted’. 

A much respected hard working survivor advocate wrote these *words.  These are mine : a public inquiry cannot be a case of 'we do this to and for Survivors, whom we've consulted.' As I write I remind myself, and my readers that I do not write for all Survivors, as an 'authority'. I wrote these words because they are what I see, from my small space, looking at it all.

I want to contribute to the task ahead of us.

On the 6th November 2022 two brothers, who were subjected to predatory abuse by the same cleric, some 40 years ago, told their story to the Irish people, via RTE, the State public broadcaster.

https://www.rte.ie/radio/doconone/1333550-blackrock-boys

In the following weeks further presentations by the two brothers, and others, across Irish News media revealed a wider extent of predatory abuse of children than previously acknowledged. The brothers, and others, issued calls for a Public Inquiry. Government made noises moving towards that outcome, everyone unsure what the task of this Inquiry ought to be.

Their personal testimony was also presented, a month later on November 9th, on the popular Late Late Show. Their testimony was raw, honest, painful, courageous, humble, upright, no more shame. The brutality of their assailant was made quite clear, in brief stark terms. 

RTE Late Late Show 9 November segment : A survivor, David, describes his experience, honestly, humbly.

The audience paid close attention to the two brothers and their friend, as they spoke, from start to finish.  The support for these two men, their friend, the respect for courage, the empathy and concern was palpable.
The Institutions protected the assailants, not the children.

The audience took upon itself to offer a long hearty standing ovation to the two brothers, and their friend and by extension to proffer support and recognition, to all Survivors, in Ireland and elsewhere across a varied diaspora as the precious children of Ireland. To be nurtured. To be held, in safety, and supported to live well, and in some peace, if justice is fully served.

21% of one year of Black Rock College reported incidents of sexual abuse, as targets or as bystanders.

How many in each year, on any given year? In any given day school or boarding school? In places that purport to nurture children?

How many boarding schools were in operation over all that time, all those lost childhoods?

We have been here before. RTE Question Time 25th May 2009.

"A question is asked about the Ryan Commission report on child abuse within institutions run by the religious orders in Ireland. After the panel had spoken the questioner responded and his response...well see for yourself. Just a note, but my apologies for the ragged nature of the end of the piece. Editing wasn't very good with the late hour."


I have been told that there are court and civil cases dating back to 1982 that have yet to arrive at satisfactory accountability, there are gaps in support for Survivors, there's too many inadequate responses - the institutions were begrudging, defensive, justice is delayed. More harm is caused.

So last century, don't you think? Only ain't. That's really sad.

Ireland, this time we really do need to know what happened, we need to understand this, accurately, honestly, fully. 

" A problem that is more fully understood is half way towards resolution, a problem incorrectly understood is insoluble."

That, plus immediate support for presenting current survivors, is the start, and then we can set matters as right as they can be, in this imperfect, evolving culture we share. We must understand this. We must support the Survivors, and together support the Government of the day, and the Churches and others to do the right thing, correctly.

A mandate for a country, a population.

Do the right thing.
The State and people of Ireland ought understand that they are now mandated by the testimony of Survivors, by their presence, their very existence as a demographic  (an identifiable group of citizens, adults who as children have been grievously harmed within the 'care' of Institutions of Education)  to lend all  support to the association of Survivors as a body, with a representative panel, seated at the table where Government and others discuss the nature, task and terms of reference of this Public Inquiry.
A representative panel of Survivors, supported by experts and advocates, where the concerns of Survivors regarding this Public Inquiry are set as equals at the table. Support for a wider reach of Survivor insight, evidence, observations to feed into the representative panel, to inform the process.
A mechanism where decisions on policies and protocols affecting Survivors are being discussed by Survivors, Government, and others, together as a collegiate; where issues concerning this matter are being deliberated, where policies and protocols are being set out and agreed upon and where processes are designated for implementation and so forth, with Survivors at the centre, core to the deliberation.

Unmet needs, past and present
The unmet needs of thousands of children, over so many decades, are today the unmet needs of living Survivors, the unmeetable needs of those who for whatever reason, passed on, distressed to the last breath, they are the unmet needs of Ireland's children. 
Such an Inquiry will need access to the best tools of inquiry and facilities to carry on research where it is required to assess the full scale of the culture of harm and cover-up, mitigation and management - Survivors are the largest natural data bank before the Inquiry.

Clarity.

The combination of official, institutional records and the testimony and human geography of Survivors lived experience, from so many offers a level of historical clarity. 
Survivors needs in this Inquiry are clarity, honesty, transparency and accountability.

Survivors families needs in this Inquiry are clarity, honesty, transparency and accountability.
Ireland's needs in this Inquiry are clarity, honesty, transparency and accountability.
It is correct that the Inquiry settings, it's task and terms of reference be developed with adequate oversight by Survivors and their expert advocates.
Survivors are a diverse group of people and therefore generic approaches to 'survivors' as a body will fail to bring the necessary nuanced listening, the attention to detail, the willingness to hear and understand that would be required to represent this body accurately.  
Consulting via a poll of some survivors cannot not represent Survivors. 
A Survivors Panel ought to be enabled to represent Survivors, as soon as possible. 
Survivors must also be heard and understood, as who they are as a population, within the Legislature. 
This task is for the whole Government, it is not just a task for the Party in Government.
This task is also the task of the State, The Church, and the people of Ireland. 

Un-met needs
"There are things in a child's life that ought to happen and do not; and there are things in a child's life that ought not to happen, ever. To the extent these natural enough expectations are met or not, there is health or disruption of the child's life."

The unmet needs of the children each Survivor was, as they endured such vile mistreatment are alive, and as vital to this inquiry as are the unmet needs of the adult Survivors today.  
Both sets of needs live side by side. 
They must inform the Inquiry as to it's central task.
Those children needed the following. They needed someone to stop the predator. Someone to protect the child. Someone to hear the child's concerns, to allay any notion of guilt or shame, to assure the child that he or she is safe now, that this will never happen again, that the child will be safe into the future.

Someone, better still a loving community, who take robust action to prevent the identified predator(s) from ever engaging in such behaviour in society. Once is once too many times.
Those children needed some adults who cared deeply for them and whose care held the space for the child to return to a sense of safety, and thus to continue to grow and develop as a human person, maturing, part of  a healthy community, albeit wounded. Cared for, understood, loved albeit mortally wounded.   A single decision has a life long impact.
A culture of protection causes intergenerational retriggering because it delays the process of justice 
The original single vile predatory decision, re-iterated within an adversarial, protective culture. Trauma upon trauma, and the silence reverberates with silent cries amid continued harm. Life-long harm. 
Survivors need and deserve an honest, transparent Public Inquiry.

Ireland
Ireland really ought not allow this moment to pass, as other Public Inquiries into child abuse and institutions have - let us get it right this time, spot on. Let us not allow a repeat of processes that were somehow incomplete, that left lingering questions, processes that were less than transparent, processes that were adversarial, to have had institutions dictate to Survivors the task at hand, the terms of reference, often excluding Survivors from the key areas of decision making, by  a process of 'consulting'  with 'Survivors' at arms length (we did consult, and we took no notice).
Rather than through a direct deliberative engagement, as equals in those discussions, as part of the process.  That caused actual harm.
Survivors insights, lived experience, evidence and Survivors needs for accountability, justice, reparation and life support, have always been, still are and will always be critically important parts of this necessary process. 
Care must be taken. This work, this Inquiry must nurture Survivors. That's the outcome number one.
Because these are also the needs of Ireland's children. Unmet for decades, adult lives carry the cost of the silence. In pain. In loss. In grief. In terror. In shame. In horror. In self-loathing. In rage. In silence. In depression. In chronic disease. In addiction. In penury. Inconsolable.
Ireland needs to meet those needs, now.
"We cannot have peace without truth. Do the right thing," M. Markle, Actor

Kindest regards

Corneilius

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