The Crown must honour survivor communities by implementing the recommendations contained in the final report from the Royal Commission on Abuse in Care, which is tabled in Parliament today, an Otago University academic researcher, registered medical professional and member of the Royal Commission Disability Reference Group says.
Referring to the extensive evidence gathered and the high impact and credibility of the survivor stories, Associate Professor Tristram Ingham ONZM says the Crown and society must meaningfully engage with the report.
Associate Professor Tristram Ingham
"The Crown needs to honour our survivor communities by implementing the recommendations in the report without exception, and every citizen in NZ needs to call out abuse and protect future generations from the horrors exposed by these survivors."
The final report, titled Whanaketia – through pain and trauma, from darkness to light, contains over 1.3 million words of evidence, spans approximately 2,500 pages over 16 volumes of material covering the context, specific case studies, survivor experiences, and provides 138 recommendations for the future.
Associate Professor Ingham says the report highlights the pervasive nature of abuse and neglect, suffered by an estimated 250,000+ survivors across many 'care' settings (past and present), and emphasizes the need for meaningful and proactive action to prevent future occurrences.
“I’m very pleased that the results are finally being released; it’s been a long road to get here. So many people have had to relive the trauma they experienced in state care and I reflect on the fact that many have not survived to see this day happen.
"The evidence and stories belong to our survivor communities. This report forms part of their previously untold history. Those who contributed did so at great cost to themselves, having to relive their traumatic experiences. We are extremely grateful for their contribution and their bravery and they can be proud of being a vital part of this milestone report."
Ingham also highlighted the role of clinicians and the health system.
"Much of this abuse occurred within the health system under the care, supervision, or jurisdiction of health professionals. We as clinicians need to own our roles in enabling this abuse and our critical role in ongoing safeguarding and advocacy to ensure that it never happens again. Most importantly we each need to be committed to exposing current occurrences of abuse, dismantling the institutions which perpetuate the imbalance of power between the system and patients, and supporting everyone in our care to have their voices heard, believed, and acted upon."
For more information, please visit Abuse in Care Royal Commission website.