He told NZME he rejected the appointment because he believed faith-based abuse survivors were being “sent back” to the institutions that abused them to ask for redress.
“I don’t think that’s right … Where is the integrity in sending victims back to their abuser or the abusing organisation to somehow get redress?”
Critics say while redress interim systems for state victims have been established, survivors of abuse in faith-based settings are left with church processes – and one advocate fears they will be “ghosted” in the new system. They are calling for a dedicated faith redress body to be set up.
‘It happened again and again …’
Ledingham’s New Year Honour citation said he and his two brothers experienced abuse in faith-based care during the 1950s and 1960s.
The lack of response from the Catholic Church on the abuse drove Ledingham to advocate for an investigation into the silencing and covering up of reported child abuse in churches.
Ledingham spent more than 20 years campaigning for redress and better child safety in faith-based care settings.
He wrote The Catholic Boys (2019) about the impacts of the abuse he and his brothers suffered.
Abuse survivor Mike Ledingham pictured in 2014. Photo / Supplied
There was the “odd” person who thought “we’re just stirrers and it didn’t happen”.
“All I can say is rest assured it happened, and it happened again and again and again over years and years and years. And it’s time we did something about it.”
Network for Survivors of Abuse in Faith-Based Institutions spokesman Dr Murray Heasley said the group “fully” endorsed Ledingham’s decision to reject his honour “on the basis of the failure of the Government … to do justice by faith-based survivors”.
“By making the survivor go back to the institution that was the original perpetrator of the abuse, you have … a denial of natural justice.”
He said church systems meant the institution would judge the legitimacy of the complaint against it.
“There’s no arm-length judgment system in place.”
He said this was an issue for all survivors.
“The overarching desire is for the Government to set up an independent body that audits, investigates, and decides what is adequate, what is appropriate redress, so that the survivor does not have to go back to the institution that was the original source of the predation,” Heasley said.
Dr Murray Heasley, a spokesman for the Network of Survivors of Abuse in Faith-based Institutions pictured in 2018. Photo / Stephen Jaquiery
The Royal Commission’s inquiry found most faith-based institutions had developed claims processes but these were often inadequate and some had prioritised church needs over those of survivors.
It recommended that when the new scheme is developed, faith-based institutions should be encouraged to join within a reasonable time, or if necessary, be required to join.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon announced in November the Government would invest an additional $32 million to increase capacity in the current system for redress while it worked to get a new single redress system operating this year.
In statements responding to the inquiry’s findings, Catholic leaders said the church is committed to continuing work to ensure accountability and healing, and Anglican Church leaders supported the establishment of an independent entity for handling future complaints.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon says the Government will be working to get a new single redress system operating this year. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Heasley said victims would need to go to Catholic Church institutions for redress until the Government set up a new single redress system.
“We don’t think that faith-based is going to be included in that. That’s the whole problem.
