Factbox - Key findings and recommendations from report into abuse in state care
- News Agency
- Jul 24, 2024
- 2 min read
WELLINGTON - A final report by New Zealand's Royal Commission of Inquiry into historic in state and faith-based institutions has estimated that 200,000 were abused between 1950 and 2019.
Here are key findings and historical context to the inquiry:
* The report estimated 200,000 children, young people and vulnerable adults of the 655,000 in state and faith-based care were abused during 1950-2019 and even more were neglected.
* A wide range of abuse and physical, emotional, psychological, medical, educational, spiritual and cultural neglect occurred.
* Discrimination and racism by authorities and the public played a role in being taken into care and the treatment received in care.
* Abuse in care is estimated to have cost an individualNZ$857,000 ($510,090) over the course of their lifetime; the cost to society for abuse in care between 1950-2019 is between NZ$96 billion and NZ$217 billion.
* Between the 1950s and the 1980s a disproportionate number of Maori entered state care. And Maori and Pacific survivors endured higher levels of physical abuse than other ethnicities.
* The inquiry was established in 2018 and its completion was delayed in part due to expanding its terms of reference.
* This is one of the longest running and most complex commissions of inquiry undertaken by New Zealand. The report outlines 138 recommendations, here are some of the key recommendations:
* The Prime Minister should make a national apology for historical abuse and neglect in the care of the state.
* The Pope, the Archbishop of Canterbury and heads of other religious organisation should make public apologies and acknowledge the abuse and neglect that happened to people in the care of their religious institutions.
* The New Zealand police should establish a specialist unit dedicated to investigating and prosecuting those responsible for historical and/or current abuse and neglect in State and faith-based care.
* Survivors of abuse and neglect in care should be fairly and meaningfully compensated.
* The establishment of a new comprehensive National Care Safety Strategy, required by law, on the prevention of and response to abuse and neglect, and an agency to oversee its implementation and regulate the sector.
* The government should introduce legislation where necessary to create a coherent mandatory reporting regime.
* The government should prioritise and accelerate current work to close care and protection residences.
($1 = 1.6801 New Zealand dollars)
-(Reuters)
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