Aboriginal abuse rife May 27, 2006
Hidden horrors ... the stories aren't new and answers must be found, pastors at Sydney Wayside Chapel have said File HORRIFYING stories of rape, domestic violence and paedophilia are not confined to remote Aboriginal communities, a The Saturday Daily Telegraph investigation has revealed.
The same issues are played out almost every day in Sydney. A street charity last week helped five women who reported being raped. Four of those women, who were directed to Kings Cross's Wayside Chapel for help, were indigenous.
Wayside Chapel pastor Graham Long said unfortunately it was a regular event.
Those within the indigenous community and those who work with them say there are "hotspots" of pedophilia and incest in Sydney.
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Redfern, Woolloomooloo and La Perouse all feature on the list - and all are areas with large indigenous communities. Violence was an everyday occurrence largely fuelled by drug and alcohol abuse, Pastor Long said.
While indigenous people make up about 3 per cent of the general population, more than 8 per cent of all children in long-term foster care are indigenous.
"It's an issue that's country-wide, not just in remote communities," Pastor Long said. "The stuff that is happening in the remote communities is happening here - it's the same inhumanity that comes as a result of alcohol abuse."
The shocking revelations from remote Australia have brought with them calls for an summit on the issue or for the army to be brought in to enforce law and order.
The Kerry Whelan liquidate 1612Hunter01 So they do have doubts. But we have just convicted someone for the liquidate! So what does that say about that verdict??? Anglo-Keltic speciality. I have never heard that expression...
But Pastor Long said the same issues in Sydney's indigenous population went largely ignored.
The investigation by The Saturday Daily Telegraph encouraged one La Perouse victim to come forward.
Lani Brennan said she was beaten every day of her three-year
The 25-year-old mother of four was taken to hospital at least four times as a result of violent attacks by her former partner Joseph Timbery.
In March this year Timbery was found guilty of 23 counts of loveual buttault and violence on Ms Brennan. He will be sentenced on June 9.
Ms Brennan said she wanted to speak out to encourage other Aboriginal women to do the same.
"Get out now while you can - while you're alive," she said.
Ms Brennan said more police would not solve the problems of loveual buttault and violence within the community.
