The Presbyterian Church of Aotearoa New Zealand has met with abuse survivors in Dunedin at a harrowing public apology today.
The apology follows the six-year Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care, which uncovered widespread failures across state and faith-based institutions.
Faith-based abuse survivor Frances Tagaloa, during a speech about abuse, said: “They tried to break us, one by one. But together now we are unbreakable.”
Right Reverend Rose Luxford, offering an apology on behalf of the church, said: “I extend our sincere and unreserved apology to those that our church and the people in it, have harmed.”
It remains unclear how many people were abused by the Presbyterian branches.
Although there are ten open Presbyterian cases, leaders say there have been major barriers for others to come forward.
The Royal Commission of Inquiry found New Zealand’s Presbyterian churches failed to report abuse complaints to police, didn’t believe victims and deliberately attempted to suppress abuse reports.
To address this, the church was now bringing in independent investigators to uncover abuse not yet reported.
“They will ensure no stone is left unturned, exposing the truth and holding the church to account,” Presbyterian Council of Assembly convenor Katerina Solomona said.
There was added hurt in Dunedin, because Presbyterian Support Otago, a separate legal entity, deliberately destroyed 27 years of records from childrens’ homes just months out from the inquiry. That organisation issued its own apology last year.
Today’s apology followed similar apologies from the Crown, the Salvation Army, Anglican, Catholic and Methodist denominations.
“As a Christian and survivor, I’m shocked that it took a Royal Commission to help churches know how to make a meaningful apology,” Tagaloa said.
The inquiry estimated up to 250,000 people were abused in state and faith-based care in New Zealand between 1950 and 2019.
The Presbyterian apology comes eight months later than the inquiry’s timetable, with survivors given just ten days’ notice and no blanket travel allowances.
Despite this, faith-based abuse survivor Donna Matahaere-Atariki said: “I stand here today to acknowledge the apology and to accept it with an open heart.”
Unlike those abused in state care, survivors of faith-based abuse are not eligible for the government’s redress payments, which average $30,000.
However, the Presbyterian Church today committed to offering similar financial support using the Ministry for Social Development’s framework.
“We will be seeking strong survivor-led advice on this, and whether it is adequate or not,” Solomona said.
The church also offered personal and written apologies, and paying for survivors’ legal fees and education.
A second apology event is scheduled for South Auckland next weekend, and the church is urging anyone with further abuse allegations to report them to police.
