Historic abuse charity sees nine people a day in Dundee, Record Australian payout for abused British child migrants, Janner charged with historic child abuse

Historic abuse charity sees nine people a day in Dundee
By Lindsey Hamilton 26 Jun 2015
Nine Dundonians a day are coming forward with their own personal horror stories of historic abuse.

That figure adds up to 45 Dundee residents a week, or 2,250 people a year, who have experienced sexual, physical or mental abuse — according to a city charity.

And now Izzy’s Promise has revealed the extent of the problem in a bid to break down barriers and encourage others to speak out.

Joseph Lumbasi, manager of the charity that works to support victims of ritual and organised abuse, said that the figures were shocking and were getting worse.

He said: “There are major taboos that prevent people talking about abuse, but thanks to national cases, people are being encouraged to talk about what they have suffered.”

Izzy’s Promise recently took part in the Scottish Government’s statutory inquiry into historical child abuse in care.

Mr Lumbasi said: “We compiled our results and have forwarded them.

“What we are seeing in Dundee is frightening.” Mr Lumbasi says that three support workers at the charity’s premises on Victoria Road speak to around three people each every day who have turned to them for help.

He said: “We are seeing people from the age of 18 upwards who have horrific stories to tell of abuse as a child. This includes, mental, sexual and physical abuse.

“We are also aware of organised and ritual abuse taking place in Dundee....
http://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/2015/06/26/historic-abuse-charity-sees-nine-people-a-day-in-dundee/

Record Australian payout for abused British child migrants
AFP 6/29/15
Former British migrants who were physically and sexually assaulted at a notorious school in Australia on Monday won the largest compensation payment for survivors of mass child abuse in the country's legal history.

A class action lawsuit was brought by almost 150 former residents of Fairbridge Farm School, which housed British child migrants, against the Australian and New South Wales state governments after they were abused between 1938 and 1974.

Slater and Gordon lawyer Roop Sandhu said the Aus$24 million (US$18.3 million) payout marked a major milestone in the acknowledgement of institutional child abuse.

"Our clients have suffered a lifetime of serious physical and psychiatric injuries as a result of their time at Fairbridge," Sandhu said, adding that it was the largest settlement for survivors of mass child abuse ever in Australia.

"They were all vulnerable children in need of care and protection, but instead they were subjected to horrific physical and sexual abuse, which in many cases has scarred them for life."

The case was one of the first class actions against an Australian government connected with child migration -- a practice under which thousands of underprivileged British children were sent to Australia without their parents last century in the hope of giving them a better life.

It alleged the Fairbridge Foundation, the New South Wales government and the Australian government allowed a system of institutional abuse to develop and persist at the school over decades....
http://news.yahoo.com/record-australian-payout-abused-british-child-migrants-071635487.html


Janner charged with historic child abuse
AFP 6/29/15
London (AFP) - Prosecutors on Monday brought 22 charges of abuse against an elderly politician accused of using his position to have sex with young boys.

The prosecution against Lord Greville Janner, a former MP and a member of the House of Lords, represents a victory for campaigners who have demanded tougher action on child abuse.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) had initially declined to bring charges against the 86-year-old because he is suffering from Alzheimer's and was considered too ill to stand trial.

But after intense criticism, director of public prosecutions Alison Saunders announced he has now been charged with offences against nine victims, all but one of them aged 16 or under at the time, relating to alleged incidents between 1963 and 1988.

Janner's family strongly denies claims that he used his power as Labour MP for Leicester, a town that he represented between 1970 and 1997, to abuse vulnerable boys at a local children's home.

Prosecutors said Janner would still likely be declared unfit and any trial would therefore not result in any conviction, but said bringing charges was a chance for the alleged victims to be heard in court....

Claims against Janner have fuelled speculation about an alleged paedophile ring at Westminster, which is being examined in a wide-ranging public inquiry into child abuse set up by Prime Minister David Cameron last year....
http://news.yahoo.com/janner-charged-historic-child-abuse-115230882.html