Meeting pope, Irish prelates discuss ministry of bishop, abuse scandal

Telling the bishops of Ireland that he wanted to hear their questions, concerns and even criticisms, Pope Francis spent almost two hours in conversation with them.
In the continuing evolution of the "ad limina" visits bishops are required to make to the Vatican, Pope Francis met Jan. 20 with 26 Irish bishops and set aside a practice that began with Pope Benedict XVI: writing a speech to the group, but handing the text to them instead of reading it.

https://www.ncronline.org/news/vatican/meeting-pope-irish-prelates-discuss-ministry-bishop-abuse-scandal 

Northern victims of child abuse ‘should get €115,000’, says inquiry

Those abused in State-, Church-, and charity-run homes should also be offered an official apology from Government and the organisations that ran the residential facilities where it happened, the Historical Institutional Abuse inquiry found.
Inquiry chair Anthony Hart outlined his recommendations after he revealed shocking levels of sexual, physical, and emotional abuse from 1922 to 1995.

http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/northern-victims-of-child-abuse-should-get-115000-says-inquiry-440130.html 

Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry: 'Widespread abuse' in children's homes

Children's homes run by some churches, charities and state institutions in Northern Ireland were the scene of widespread abuse and mistreatment of young residents, a report has found.
The Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry (HIA) studied allegations of abuse in 22 homes and other residential institutions between 1922 to 1995.  These were facilities run by the state, local authorities, the Catholic Church, the Church of Ireland and the children's charity Barnardo's.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-38685157 

Derry institutional abuse victim embraced by Bishop of Derry during mass

A Derry man who was the victim of institutional abuse has praised the Bishop of Derry after he embraced him during emotional scenes in the city yesterday.
The Bishop, Dr Donal McKeown, delivered a homily during two services over the weekend at Eugene’s Cathedral and Long Tower, where he addressed the final report into the findings of Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry (HIA), which was set up in 2013 to look at historical abuse claims at homes throughout Northern Ireland

https://www.derrynow.com/news/derry-institutional-abuse-victim-embraced-bishop-derry-mass/141379 

Convent girl Bonnie Schlef's life of violence, sex abuse, heroin and prison escape

A feature on Bonnie Schlef's remarkable life was first published in print in 2010. Here, Stuff republishes it on the day a coroner sits to consider how this Christchurch battler died following a surgical error.
People judge her. Well you would. The morphine addiction, the stolen cheques, the prison time, the family gang connections. So how did the life of a sweet little convent girl go so off the rails? I am talking to 52-year-old Bonnie Schlef in the foyer of Christchurch District Court. She is there to support her son - a son charged with leaving her horrifically battered, with a cracked neck, in an attack last August. The second such attack, she says.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/67457974/Convent-girl-Bonnie-Schlefs-life-of-violence-sex-abuse-heroin-and-prison-escape 

Abused priest: HIA report delivers long overdue justice for victims

The report from an official inquiry into widespread child sex abuse has delivered “a day of justice long overdue for those who suffered in these institutions run by church and state”, according to a priest who was also a victim.
Fr Patrick McCafferty was speaking after the report was published on Friday from the Historical Institutional Abuse (HIA) inquiry.

http://www.newsletter.co.uk/news/crime/abused-priest-hia-report-delivers-long-overdue-justice-for-victims-1-7785399 

Abuse inquiry recommendations should be implemented with goodwill, says bishop

A Catholic bishop has said the recommendations of Northern Ireland's child abuse inquiry should be implemented with goodwill.
Noel Treanor hoped the report will help others who have been abused to find the strength and courage to come forward and report it to the authorities.

http://www.belfasttelegraph.co.uk/news/northern-ireland/abuse-inquiry-recommendations-should-be-implemented-with-goodwill-says-bishop-35388260.html 

Northern Ireland victims recall the impact of child abuse

Margaret McGuckin has been the public face of the campaign for victims of historical institutional child sex abuse.

But, privately there is a reason for her involvement - her brother Kevin. The 62-year-old still lives in care. He has a learning difficulty, which Ms McGuckin believes is directly related to what he suffered as a child.

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-38682537?post_id=10204672433356106_10208628145046426#_=_ 

Sex abuse victims had waited ‘lifetime’ for Hart report

“Unspeakable, unspeakable,” was a quote Sir Anthony Hart, chairman of the Historical Institutional Abuse (HIA) inquiry, chose from one of the witnesses who gave evidence to his inquiry.

It was as good a description as any to use to try to characterise the dark nature of his 10-volume, 2,300-page exploration of the abuse suffered by hundreds of children in care homes throughout the North after partition from 1922 to 1995.

http://www.irishtimes.com/news/ireland/irish-news/sex-abuse-victims-had-waited-lifetime-for-hart-report-1.2945512 

Snoozing at teachers who abuse children

On Jan. 13, a judge in Houston, Texas, sentenced Alexandria Vera to 10 years in prison. Her crime? The 25-year-old teacher at Stovall Middle School struck up a sexual relationship with a 13-year-old student — having sex almost every day, she said, for nine months — but with the parents’ approval. She could be eligible for parole in five years. 
Prosecutors alleged Vera groomed the child and his family, moving the teen and his father into her home and pretending she was dating the father. She also bought groceries for the boy’s family and paid the phone bills. She even became pregnant by the boy. When child-protection workers closed in, she got an abortion. Unsurprisingly, the boy is now in foster care.

http://www.mantecabulletin.com/section/160/article/141112/ 

Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry: List of homes investigated

The Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry (HIA) was established to investigate child abuse that occurred in residential institutions in Northern Ireland over a 73-year period from 1922 to 1995.
The following is a complete list of homes and institutions investigated by it:

http://www.bbc.com/news/uk-northern-ireland-38692627?post_id=10204672433356106_10208627943841396#_=_ 

Inquiry finds widespread child abuse in Northern Ireland homes

Belfast (AFP) - A four-year inquiry into abuses in care homes in Northern Ireland found widespread mistreatment in its final report on Friday and concluded that hundreds of victims were entitled to financial compensation.

The Historical Institutional Abuse (HIA) inquiry found "evidence of sexual, physical and emotional abuse, neglect and unacceptable practices" from 1922 to 1995 in most of the institutions it investigated.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/inquiry-finds-widespread-child-abuse-northern-ireland-homes-172629542.html