Comment: Dear Andrew, your defence of George Pell makes a mockery of survivors
I have been living with the aftermath of child sexual abuse for many years. My husband, Peter Blenkiron, is a survivor of clergy abuse perpetrated when he was 11. Last week in two columns, you expressed your opinion that George Pell has been falsely convicted. You are entitled to your opinion. What concerns me, however, is your statement that it is based on "overwhelming evidence". This is misleading, irresponsible and ignorant.
You say: "There is no history or pattern of similar abuse by Pell, unlike with real Church pedophiles such as Ridsdale." This point is totally irrelevant to Pell’s guilt or otherwise. Sexual abuse of children is a crime. You don’t have to do it to 65 children like Ridsdale; just the once. You speculate that "maybe they misremembered. Maybe they had the wrong guy". Please spend some time listening to survivors recount their experiences. While they might be blurry with exact dates and times, the details of the perpetrator they sadly cannot get out of their head. My husband struggles to wear aftershave because Dowlan wore it while he abused him."I would, and did, read transcripts of the trial". No Andrew, you may have read a partial transcript.
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