unholy silence

[...]

GEOFF THOMPSON: As you've seen tonight, the cost of accused priests not facing the music is far too great. The link between child sex abuse and premature death is only just beginning to be understood.

PETER JURD: It not only affected Damian, now it's affecting his children. Damian was a great dad, loved them to death but I suppose he... he never quite got over, that feeling of, of not being good enough. He had a photo of Roman and Claire-Anne next to him.

GEOFF THOMPSON: Damian Jurd's children Roman and Claire-Anne live with their grandparents. Claire-Anne, is now 19 and struggles with depression. Speaking with her, it's difficult not to conclude that the effects of abuse on Damian's life are generational.

CLAIRE-ANNE JURD, DAMIAN'S DAUGHTER: I just feel like there's just so many questions I have for him if he was here.

GEOFF THOMPSON: What would you say to him?

CLAIRE-ANNE JURD: I'd ask him if he was proud of me.

GEOFF THOMPSON: It was only last year that Claire-Anne learnt what Father F did to her dad.

CLAIRE-ANNE JURD: I've got this thing in the back of my hand saying "Just give up", 'cause he did.

I go to sleep at night and I think about what he would be like if it didn't happen to him; what I would be like if it didn't happen to him. I've... he was sad and he was hurting all the time and that... when I describe myself, I'm sad and I hurt all the time, but if that didn't happen to him, what kind of personality I would have... whether I would, you know, be here at all.

KERRY O'BRIEN: How do you begin to count the cost - not just of the abuse, but an institutional cover-up and of justice denied. There have been many government enquiries at both state and federal level over the years, but a Parliamentary Inquiry in Victoria right now is looking specifically at how religious institutions - and NGOs, for that matter - respond to cases of sexual abuse. Perhaps the inquiry should be national. Next week on Four Corners, an investigation into the work practises of Australia's pearling industry, with lives being put at risk. Until then, good night.

End of transcript  

Four Corners

Unholy Silence