The Betrayal of Trust report released yesterday makes 15 key recommendations to prevent a reoccurrence of the widespread abuses over several decades within the Catholic Church and other religious and secular organisations. 

Warrnambool detective Colin Ryan, who was involved in investigating three Catholic clergy, described the report as a “very positive step”.

“I would think it would give a lot of victims a lot of comfort,” he told The Standard.

“The damage that is done by these sexual predators cannot be overstated.”

Former Tatyoon mother Helen Watson, who told the inquiry about her son taking his life after allegedly being abused at a Catholic presbytery in Ararat, said the report was a challenge to the Napthine government to enact the recommendations soon.

“If it’s not acted on then all our efforts have been wasted,” she said.

Premier and South West Coast MP Denis Napthine said legislation would be introduced to Parliament early next year.

“The protection of our children is paramount,” Dr Napthine said.

“They cannot be expected to protect themselves from these crimes and it is up to the government, this Parliament and the community to look after and stand up for our children.

“The government also urges all organisations whose activities involve children to examine this report to see what changes they can and should be making.”

Warrnambool’s Ann Ryan, who unsuccessfully tried to raise the alarm about the now-jailed former priest Gerald Ridsdale in Mortlake, said the report marked a “momentous” day of possibilities for justice and healing for thousands.

“It is the day that victims, their families and friends are vindicated and validated,” she said.

“Their stories have at last been received into the collective psyche as truth.”

Detective Senior Constable Ryan’s investigations led to the arrest and conviction of former priest Paul David Ryan, who has been linked with the alleged abuse of Mrs Watson’s late son Peter.

Paul Ryan was sentenced in Warrnambool to 18 months’ jail in 2006 after pleading guilty to assaulting an altar boy. He is also understood to have offended in the United States.

Mrs Watson, now of Ballarat, plans to approach a proposed new taskforce and seek an investigation into Ryan’s alleged abuse of her late son.

“Peter’s life changed after he went to a sleepover at the Ararat presbytery at the age of 15,” she said.

“He went from being an intelligent, vibrant person to someone struggling to survive and on the path to self-destruction. He suicided at the age of 24 and was buried in Melbourne as an unknown person. 

“It was only by chance about six years later that his fingerprints were identified.

“We had him exhumed and buried on the family farm at Tatyoon.”

Western Victoria MP David O’Brien, of Penshurst, who sat on the committee, said shocking stories shared in the inquiry came from numerous towns including Camperdown, Colac, Hamilton, Mortlake, Penshurst, Portland, Port Fairy, Terang and Warrnambool. 

“Ultimately, any victim of child abuse should feel no guilt and no shame,” he said.

“Having facilitated the rape and child abuse across so much of western Victoria, it is appropriate that the Catholic Church hierarchy stand condemned for its actions and inactions at the highest levels in Victoria and over many years.”

Mr O’Brien also praised priests who had spoken out against the church.

In Parliament he condemned the cover-up of child sex abuse which he said was an abomination.