In some way, shape or form, every New Zealander is a victim of the horrific abuse laid bare in the inquiry report released yesterday.

First and foremost - absolutely first and foremost - it is the 200,000 people who were abused while in the care of the state and religious organisations that we are most mindful of. As we should be.

The Government appears to be, as well. The proof of that will emerge over the next few months as it works on a response to the 138 recommendations in the inquiry report.

As far as I’m concerned, there is one that should be prioritised immediately. Because, until this is done, a lot of the other strategies and plans and approaches recommended in the report will just be more paper, more talk, and our trust in the outfits who are supposed to be looking after the people who need it most will deteriorate further.

And that’s this recommendation that all staff and care workers are vetted, registered, and well-trained.

It’s astounding isn't it that this particular recommendation is even needed in 2024?

The Government’s first priority, though, seems to “re-dress”. Which is all about things like financial compensation and other forms of recognition for the direct victims of this abuse.

Even if you’re not one of them. Don’t think for a minute that this doesn’t involve you. Because you’re an indirect victim. I am too. Because, as I say, every New Zealander - in some way, shape or form - is a victim.

Whether it’s the families these kids went on to have or the people they had relationships with. The people who have faced the consequences of being brought up or living with someone broken by what they went through.

The people who have been the victims of crime carried out by the damaged people who finally found the belonging they were craving for in gangs.

The other victims I’m thinking of today, too, are the parents of these kids who were abused.

And if you’re thinking ‘oh none of them are me. I didn’t go through all that and no one in my family did either, so I’m not one of those victims he’s going on about.’ Well, think again.

Because we’re not just talking here about the abuse of 200,000 children and adults. Which is staggering enough, on its own.

We’re also talking about the huge abuse of trust we, as a society and a community, placed in these places that were supposed to protect and look after people.

And, particularly in the 1950s, 60s, 70s and 80s, our trust in these outfits was rock solid.

I know. Because I went to two Catholic schools in Dunedin where sexual abuse of kids was going on. These were schools run by the Christian Brothers. So it was Christian Brothers Junior School and St Paul’s High School that I went to. This was in the late 70s and 80s.

And since then, some of the people who taught me, have been exposed as sexual predators.

One of them I thought was the best teacher I’d ever had. He was an English teacher and he just brought the whole subject to life and probably had some influence over my decision to become a journalist when I left school. He was amazing.

What I didn’t know, at the time, though was, while "Mr Amazing" was opening my eyes and ears to words and language and stories - at the same time, he was also taking other kids to his place across the road at lunchtimes and abusing them.

As for another one, well, I remember there being talk about him being dodgy when I was there - this was at Christian Brothers Junior School - so kind-of around intermediate age. This guy was a Christian Brother and there was talk about him but in those days, when you were 11 or 12, it was all a bit of a giggle.

Terrible to think that now. And I’m appalled to think about the other kids at both of those schools who must have been living in absolute terror while the rest of us got on with playing four square and handball at lunchtime, and having a giggle about keeping your towel on in the changing rooms at the pool.

This particular guy was moved overseas by the church when he was caught out - on the condition he have no contact with children. The reports I’ve seen say he went to the Cook Islands and Africa; eventually came back to New Zealand and is no longer alive.

Other teachers at these schools I went to have been named publicly over the years, too. And I can only imagine how difficult it must have been for some of these kids.

And I’m not just talking about the disgusting things that happened to them. How their lives were ripped apart. I’m also talking about how much they must have grappled with the fact that these so-called “religious” people were trusted.

And I bet there were kids back then going home, telling their parents what was going on and their parents saying “oh, don't be so bloody ridiculous. Stop that disgusting talk right now”. I bet you there were kids that went through that.

Because the trust in these creeps - however misguided - that people and society had in them and their organisations was rock solid. And they knew it, didn’t they? The animals they were.

Which is why I’m saying today that every one of us - directly and indirectly - we’ve all been affected by this. Nothing like the 200,000 who, finally, are being recognised. Nothing like that. But the trust we - as a society - placed in these people and their organisations was also abused.

Which makes us all victims, to varying degrees.

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