Roads To Recovery

According to Amnesty International, *A refugee is a person who has fled from their own country due to human rights abuses they have suffered there because of who they are, or what they believe in, and whose own government cannot, or will not, protect them. As a result, they have been forced to seek international protection.* So what happens to the refugees who settle in Geelong and district? How do we handle multiculturalism? I talk with Veema Mooniapah Community Development Officer, with the City of Greater Geelong, and Maureen O'Keeffe, Settlement and Community Support Manager with Diversitat. For contact and info - Community Development Officer, City of Greater Geelong, PO Box 104 Geelong 3220 - Ph: 03 5272 4840 * Mb: 0418 535 444 * Maureen O'Keeffe * Manager Settlement and Community Programs * www.Diversitat.org.au * www.Pakofesta.com.au *

In early September, the Royal commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse was extended for two years. The Royal Commission has been to Geelong, as it has to just about every place in our country, and the extra time is needed to discover the full extent of what was seemingly grotesque culture in some organisations. In the studio today I have Angela Sdrinis, who now has her own business as a Personal Injuries Accredited Specialist and Fr Kevin Dillon the outspoken cleric from St. Mary of the Angels Leonie Sheedy, who is the CEO of Care Leavers Australia Network or CLAN, was unable to be here as she has been called to a private session in Brisbane. But Richard Marles, our Federal Member for Corio, who is also a patron of CLAN, was with Mitch, and he has popped in because Edwina shanghaied him into doing so. For more info and to seek help:- Barwon CASA. Level 1, 59-63 Spring St. Geelong 3220Geelong West admin@barwoncasa.org Phone: (03) 5222 4318 1800 806 292 - (24 hour service) www.casa.org.

There is no cure for birth and death, save to enjoy the interval. A quotable quote by George Santayana, spoken around 1922, which leads us in to today’s conversation about the end stage of life. But we can prepare for this inevitability so that the dying as well as the living continues their journeys with dignity. Russell Armstrong provides Spiritual Support within the Palliative Care Unit of Barwon Health, and Scott McLaren Lifestyle Co-ordinator with St Laurence are with me today to talk about *Dignity Therapy*, *Who am I*, and more. For further contact: - * Barwon Health Palliative Care - 4215 5700 * www.barwonhealth.org.au * Scott McLaren Lifestyle Co-ordinator. Costa House. St Laurence. 5220 8461 or 0417 124 208 or scott.mclaren@stlaurence.org.au * Anne Demetriou Director of Nursing. St Laurence. Residential Aged Care & Community Respite Services 5220 8433 or 0425 789 211 or anne.demetriou@stlaurence.org.au * Aged Care Web Site: myagedcare.gov.au *

The following is a snippet from the Broken Rites website about how church hierarchy moved Predator priest Gerald Ridsdale around. **Countless more victims still remain silent. The total number of Ridsdale victims may amount to hundreds. Many Ridsdale victims still remain silent because they do not want to upset their ***loyal Catholic*** parents. Others feel embarrassed about contacting the detectives. Some of the victims in Ridsdale's later court appearances said that this embarrassment was why they had waited so long. However, the police detectives are very helpful to all victims, and the court procedures ensure that the victims* privacy is protected. In these kinds of criminal cases, victims* names cannot be published.** Ridsdale is scheduled for sentencing on further charges in March. But that doesn’t help the victims and their families. Today I am talking with two people who provide direction and support for those who have come forward, or still wish to do so. • John Blomfield from Barwon Centre Against

The CEO of Barwon Centre Against Sexual Assault, Helen Bolton and Chris MacIsaac, president, Broken Rites meet and chat with Fr. Kevin Dillon about recovery and where to next for the survivors of abuse. And what about the hierarchy? Barwon CASA. admin@barwoncasa.org Phone: (03) 5222 4318 1800 806 292 (24 hour service) www.casa.org.au/barwon/ Broken Rites Australian National Hotline: (03) 9457 4999 Fr. Kevin Dillon frkd@stmarysgeelong.com.au Work Phone: 5222 1977

John Blomfield, a counselor with Barwon Centre Against Sexual Assault (CASA) and Detective Senior Constable Craig Jarvis, a SOCIT officer with the MDC, chat about reporting and recovery from sexual abuse. Barwon CASA. Level 1, 59-63 Spring St. Geelong 3220Geelong West admin@barwoncasa.org Phone: (03) 5222 4318 1800 806 292 (24 hour service)

Fr. Kevin Dillon from Geelong's St. Mary Basilica, and Dr Wayne Chamley from Broken Rites: an organisation I have given support to for over six years as the preferred organisation to report clergy sexual abuse, chat about seeking help, and what the Royal Commission might mean to us all.* We’ve always advocated that if you have been abused in any way, you should contact someone - the police, any of our many wonderful services such as Barwon CASA and Zena - and numbers are below.* We talk about how the survivors, their families and friends, and the community as a whole should find their road to recovery.* Survivors are coming forward: many are still reluctant to do so.* Please seek help.* * How can we heal the wounds? How do we reach out to the survivors to seek help?* *Barwon CASA. * Level 1, 59-63 Spring St.* Geelong 3220, Geelong West * admin@barwoncasa.org * Phone: (03) 5222 4318 * Crisis - 1800 806 292 (24 hour service)* www.casa.org.au/barwon/ * Broken Rites Australian * National Hotline: (03) 9457

Today we chat with Bernadette McMenamin the CEO of Childwise, as well as Lauren Codd and John Blomfield who are counselors with Barwon CASA about preventing child abuse, and the evolution of CASA into its Multidisciplinary Centre (MDC).* But in light of the fact that a royal commission has been called for on child abuse, and more, it takes up a bit of the chat.* Childwise Primary Email: office@childwise.net * Phone: (03) 9645 8911 or Mobile: 0419 397 689 * Barwon CASA - Level 1, 59-63 Spring St. Geelong West * admin@barwoncasa.org * Phone: (03) 5222 4318 * 1800 806 292 (24 hour service)* www.casa.org.au/barwon/ * www.barwonhealth.org.au *

Re-uploaded 3.9.2012 - Bernadette McMenamin, who is the founder of Childwise, Fr. Peter Foley, now retired from St Bernard's parish, Belmont, and Judith Shapland, who is a survivor of child abuse, chat about child and sexual abuse and, hopefully give you ideas on what you can do to prevent and recognise abuse, sexual and otherwise.* How can we encourage victims to talk to about their story? * How do we help people who have been abused recover? * How is our community affected? * How to spot the groomer!!! * You may want to know how to report abuse, so please have your pens ready as we will give contact details of where help is available. * * We also discuss Judith’s book, *Always the BRIDESMAID” - Childhood Abuse - More Than Just Surviving. * Contacts that are mentioned - Broken Rites Australian National Hotline: - (03) 9457 4999 * Childwise - (03) 9645 8911, or Freecall: 1800 99 10 99 within Australia. * Victoria Police - Sexual Offences & Child Abuse (SOCA) Units – Geelong – 5225 3194 * Centre Again

Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS, is still the major cause of death in infants from 1 month to 1 year of age, with most deaths occurring between 2 and 4 months. 1987 in Australia saw a peak in the number of reported SIDS deaths at just fewer than 600, and there has been a steady decline since then, but there is an ideal target of zero that we are aiming for. Why has there been such a decrease? We talk with SIDS researcher, Dr Jhodie Duncan, who is a neuroscientist with the Florey Neurosciences Institute. There are still around 100 SIDS deaths annually, and I chat with Karl & Alex Waddell whose son River Jak Adam died Aged 128 days on the 6th November last year. You can make donations that will be directed to the Florey Institute for SIDS research, through www.riverfoundation.com.au Also - Karl will be running in the Great Ocean Road Marathon on 19th May to raise funds - email - alexandkarl@hotmail.com.au We also talk of Bereavement help at Hope Bereavement Care - 5226 7269 and SIDS & Kids - 24

Ross Synot, who heads a CFSsupport group here in Geelong, Fleur Gollan who is on her road to recovery, and her husband Ryan, along with Janine Castle, a naturopath, who also had this syndrome, talk about their journeys through and with CFS. For further information on the support group you can contact Ross on 03 5221 4257, send him an email ross@optusgeelong.com.au or visit www.rossynot.com.au