Vic Police Force faces sex abuse allegations
- Details
- Category: Paedophile Rings
- Created: Wednesday, 07 July 2004 22:37
- Written by Ben Knight - ABC News
DAVID HARDAKER: Just when it didn't need it, there's been more criticism today of the Victorian Police force and the way it's handled some serious investigations, but this time it's not about the drug squad, the underworld, or police corruption.
Instead, it's the Sexual Crimes Squad that's under fire after an investigation by the Victorian Ombudsman.
His report, which is yet to be made public, has recommended that several child sexual abuse cases be re-opened, and that two officers show cause why they should not be removed.
Today, police were the first to speak publicly about the report - promising to follow all the report's recommendations.
But the psychologist whose complaint led to the investigation says that's not enough - and that there are sexual offenders walking free because of the squad's mishandling of their cases.
Ben Knight reports.
BEN KNIGHT: Three years ago, Melbourne psychologist Reina Michaelson requested a meeting with the state's new police commissioner, Christine Nixon.
She wanted to talk about child sexual abuse; in particular a number of cases she believed had not only been handled badly but possibly corruptly as well.
Christine Nixon obviously took her concern seriously because she referred Reina Michaelson's complaint to the State Ombudsman. Now, after an investigation running for more than two years, the Ombudsman's report is in, and it's highly critical of the Force's sexual crime squad and two officers in particular.
The report's called for four child sex abuse cases to be reopened, for an internal investigation into the officers' conduct as well as an independent review of the way the squad itself operates.
Reina Michaelson says it's a vindication.
REINA MICHAELSON: Oh it's incredibly damming, as it should be.
BEN KNIGHT: Reina Michaelson's complaint covered four separate investigations between 1995 and 1999, and which are believed to involve schools in country Victoria and a child care centre near Melbourne. She says all of the cases were mishandled.
That includes police not passing on vital information from witnesses and warning other members of the squad when complaints had been made against them. But Reina Michaelson says her most serious concern was the way experienced members of the squad treated the victim's during investigations.
REINA MICHALESON: In one case that's referred to in the Ombudsman's report, an officer with extensive experience was interviewing an 11-year-old victim of sexual abuse by a 63-year-old offender. The officer in question is quoted, in his interview with he Ombudsman, as blaming the 11-year-old girl – believing that she was the instigator – and I think it's ironic that we have a Governor General who was forced to resign after making similar comments and yet here we have an elite officer, in an elite squad with extensive experience and training, making exactly the same comments.
BEN KNIGHT: And she says this report does not close the book on the problem.
REINA MICHAELSON: There are offenders who are in the community, who have offended and who have not been held accountable for their crime. There is at least one teacher who is a known offender who is still teaching.
BEN KNIGHT: But is that because of the way that this case you're talking about was handled by the sexual crimes squad?
REINA MICHAELSON: Yes. The Ombudsman's report concluded that because of the police mishandling of these investigations those offenders have walked.
BEN KNIGHT: The report has not yet been made public, nor has it been handed to Parliament, but today Victoria Police, who've clearly learnt a lot about media management this year, held a press conference to discuss the report no journalist had yet seen.
The Assistant Commissioner for Crime, Simon Overland, delivered the mea culpa.
SIMON OVERLAND: I think what this does show is that we are prepared to take on board criticisms. We're prepared to have them examined, and where they're found to be with substance we're prepared to take on board the consequences of that and to look to rectify the way we deal with these matters. So if other people out there have concerns, they should feel confident that they can report them, that we'll take them on board and we will treat them seriously.
BEN KNIGHT: Reina Michaelson believes that's exactly what will happen.
REINA MICHAELSON: I'm absolutely convinced that there are other cases. We are working on other cases ourselves that deal with child sexual abuse matters and alleged mishandling, at best, corruption at worst.
DAVID HARDAKER: Dr Reina Michaelson, the Executive Director of the Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Program. Ben Knight with that report.
Source : https://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2004/s1148948.htm
