1,659 cases of child sex abuse: Police struggling to cope with a massive increase in paedophilia claims following the royal commission
- Royal commission has passed on 1,659 child sex abuse cases to police
- Up to 71 people were prosecuted after 1,659 matters reported since 2013
- Justice Peter McClellan said the cases led to a growing pressure for police
The royal commission has referred more than 1,500 child sexual abuse cases to the police to consider for further investigation, a hearing has heard.
Up to 71 people were prosecuted after 1,659 matters reported since 2013 were passed on, imposing strains on resources of police forces in Australia, ABC News reported.
Chairman of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Peter McClellan told a Sydney hearing the cases have led to a growing pressure to investigate allegations of paedophilia across the country.
The royal commission has flagged more than 1,500 child sexual abuse cases to the police to consider for further investigation, a hearing has heard (stock image)
Justice Peter McClellan (pictured) told a Sydney hearing the cases have led to a growing pressure to investigate allegations of paedophilia across the country
'Because of the volume of references, the resources of the various police forces have been placed under significant pressure,' Justice McClellan said.
Justice McClellan said the commission had received information about 4,000 institutions but found it would be difficult to hold public hearings into all the cases.
Share this article
'The case studies have been selected to ensure an appropriate geographical spread and also an appropriate reflection of the type of institution where survivors were abused,' he said.
Around 5866 survivors of child sexual abuse have met with commissioners during private sessions, with another 1,616 people yet to speak.
Around 5866 survivors of child sexual abuse have met with commissioners during private sessions, with another 1,616 people yet to speak (stock image)
The cases comes as the commission will hold a public hearing on Monday into how the Catholic Church responded to child sexual abuse allegations by convicted paedophile priest John Joseph Farrell.
The hearing will examine the responses of the Catholic Diocese of Armidale and Parramatta and the Special Issues Group for the Province of Sydney.
Justice McClellan said the inquiry into Farrell will be the final case study in relation to Catholic institutions.
The hearing comes as a report into child sexual abuse in Salvation Army homes across three states often went unreported.
Children sexually abused across three states failed to report the assault over concerns they didn't think they would be believed, the commission found (stock image)
Children sexually abused in South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia failed to report the assault over concerns they didn't think they would be believed, the commission found.
The investigation into the historic abuse at four homes has also revealed those who did complain were threatened with physical harm.
The commission said in failing to take action the Salvation Army provided a culture in which staff and officers were able to continue their abuse.
Most watched News videos
- Pro-Palestine protester shouts 'we don't like white people' at UCLA
- Elephant returns toddler's shoe after it falls into zoo enclosure
- Circus acts in war torn Ukraine go wrong in un-BEAR-able ways
- Vunipola laughs off taser as police try to eject him from club
- Two heart-stopping stormchaser near-misses during tornado chaos
- King and Queen meet cancer patients on chemotherapy ward
- Jewish man is threatened by a group of four men in north London
- King Charles in good spirits as he visits cancer hospital in London
- Shocked eyewitness describes moment Hainault attacker stabbed victim
- Horror as sword-wielding man goes on rampage in east London
- Police cordon off area after sword-wielding suspect attacks commuters
- King and Queen depart University College Hospital
