Abuse, and more of it

To err is human. But some errors are far more disturbing than others. Allegations of abuse of disadvantaged minors entrusted through the years to the care of a particular Church institution are causing widespread perturbation, as well as disgust and condemnation. And also, concern that a trial by media has been unleashed.

The first general allegation came through some months before the April general election following a visit to Australia by the leader of opposition. Precise details were not revealed, nor a link to any identified institution. The allegation related to relatively distant years.

The present spate of allegations, while also reaching back through time, casts a cloud on the here and now.

The flare-up of allegations, speculations, simulations and inevitable lascivious interest too was also preceded by specific individual reports and legal action against alleged violators unrelated to the institution whose name, and not those of possible individual malpractitioners within it, is being bandied about freely.

Child abuse is more often than not perpetrated by sick persons. That does not diminish the damage inflicted upon the victims, nor make the deed less than socially revolting. Moral judgement remains - at least, so it should - the realm of the Lord.

Since there is no smoke without fire, and it is also exceptional, though not unheard of, that sane persons would invent stories of abuse inflicted on them, with all the pain that would reawaken, investigations should certainly be carried out. Criminal investigations are a matter for the police. But the media have their own role to play.

What matters a great deal is how that is carried out.

Serious reporting deals with facts. Investigative journalism is guided by separate rules. By its very nature, such journalism starts without having the facts at hand. It sets about to attempt to unearth them. Ethics come in the handling of that effort and of the treatment of whatever is established - and that is a word that goes well beyond investigation. One may investigate various leads without subsequently establishing firm facts.

The occupational danger facing investigative journalism is that it may be perceived - or deliberately seek to be - judgemental. To investigate and expose is one process, to judge is another. Even if it is certainly the case that those of us who comment in columns, such as this one, and express strong opinions, are inherently much or little judgemental.

In a matter of such serious allegations it is essential for facts to be established without colouring from speculation and sensationalism. Any real prevalence of abuse by persons whose responsibility it is to safeguard and not to exploit for their own ends those placed in their trust cannot but be extremely disturbing. What it ought not do is to block the public mind to other forms of abuse.

There is a danger that when public opinion is suffused with indignation, attention to issues that demand critical appraisal, and not infrequently investigation too, will be diffused. Tidal waves of moral outrage over allegations of a particular form of abuse, even if they turn out to be justified, should not swamp the fact that there may be other forms of abuse elsewhere.

That there is abuse of the younger generation even in some of the ways they are offered entertainment, to spend their money, to grow, does not mitigate child abuse that has or is taking place. The broad context and perspective of what else goes on in our society, though, should not be shunted aside.