By Andrew Young-

A former child migrant has called for an inquiry to name the villains responsible for sexual abuse of British children sent overseas.

The independent inquiry was set up after the death of DJ Jimmy Savile in 2011 when hundreds of people came forward to say he had abused them as children.

The hearings, taking place at the International Dispute Resolution Centre in central London, with the first phase concerning Australia expected to last 10 days.

Thousands of children were relocated to Australia and parts of the British Empire up to 1974 without the consent of their parents and without knowledge of their background. Records show that between 7,000 and 10,000 children were moved to Australia after World War 11. Most of the children were recruited by religious organisations were many of them were sexually abused.

Many children are said to have experienced “unacceptable depravity”, when thousands of children were relocated to Australia and parts of the British empire up to 1974, the first hearing in the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse in England and Wales heard.

One migrant, David Hill, called for perpetrators to be named and shamed.
Mr Hill was 12 when he was sent with his two brothers to the Fairbridge Farm School in Western Australia.
He told the hearing: “We’ll never be able to undo the great wrong that was done to these children.
“But what is important to the survivors of sexual abuse is where this inquiry is satisfied with the evidence – name the villains.

The enquiry is set to hear of ”systematic sexual abuse in institutions and work environments throughout the inquiry. Samantha Leek QC said “Child migration is wrong. It should not have been sanctioned or facilitated.
“The lifelong consequences for those involved are a matter of deep and sincere regret.”
In 2009, the Australian government apologised for the cruelty shown to the child migrants. Britain has bever apologised for the sexual abuses that occurred during those dark years, though an apology has been made for the migration of children that took place.
The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) inquiry is looking at the way organisations have protected children outside the UK.
Between 7,000 and 10,000 children were moved to Australia after World War Two.
Many, however, went on to suffer physical and sexual abuse in homes and so-called farm schools run by religious orders and charities.

INQUIRY

The inquiry began with opening statements from chairwoman Prof Alexis Jay and lawyers Henrietta Hill QC and Aswini Weereratne QC
Ms Weereratne said the inquiry will hear from 22 former child migrants – their average age was nine when deported and one was aged only three or four years old.
The abuse that some of the children sent abroad were said to have suffered included “torture, rape and slavery”, Ms Weereratne said.
Speaking on behalf of former child migrant Oliver Cosgrove, who was sent to Australia in 1941, Imran Khan said: “(It was) a scheme to populate the empire with good, white British stock and which led to the physical, emotional and sexual abuse of countless children, many thousands of miles away from their families.”
A £6m family restoration fund was set up to allow the migrants to travel to the UK and ministers are now considering extending it.

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• Date
  27th February 2017