I have written this as a show of my support for all the victims of child abuse over the many years in my town of Ballarat, Victoria, Australia.

There is currently a 'Royal Commission' being held in Ballarat and Melbourne into the high number of child abuse cases that have happened within the Catholic Church system particularly in Ballarat over many decades.

At the moment in Rome the commission is hearing testimony from Cardinal George Pell who was a Catholic priest in Ballarat and Melbourne during these times and is now being asked what he knew about these many incidents.

Over the years, there were many 'cover ups 'and moving of priests around different dioceses in Victoria and still abuse was rife in many areas, so it has now come a time for serious investigation into this.

The victims are now asking that Cardinal Pell, tell the truth of what happened and ask that he be forthcoming with the actual true events
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The creation of the 'Loud Fence' by a Ballarat woman where people tie a ribbon onto a fence to show support for the victims has now become a world wide phenomenon, and as Cardinal Pell was 'unable' to return to Melbourne to face the Royal Commission in late February citing 'heart problems', a group of abuse victims and their close supporters have flown to Rome to face Pell. There was around $150.000 dollars raised from the Ballarat community for them to be able to go.

I have written my poem as a plea for the truth from the Church and to lend my support for these and any other victims of child abuse.

I have also seen the current Academy Award winning movie 'Spotlight' and highly recommend a viewing as I was blown away by the many similarities of the Boston child abuse and 'cover up' and what has happened here within the Catholic Church'.

I would also like to acknowledge that child abuse happens in many other non-Catholic institutions, but at the moment it seems that the Church is under the 'Spotlight', and because this has happened so widely in my town and surrounding communities, the people just want the truth and justice to prevail.

I do apologise if my poem causes any personal upset, but this issue needs to be addressed and I find poetry the medium for me to do so

I thank you for reading this work and welcome any feedback.

Also thank you to Renate Bertodi for the image Abused Children draw

Cheers Christine

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