Rutherglen man who is abuse survivor wants action to help victims

Dec 19 2012 by Douglas Dickie, Rutherglen Reformer

For weeks the national newspapers have had pictures of Sir Jimmy Savile plastered over their pages as yet more revelations about the late TV star come to light.

The stories are shocking and many people have been left asking how something like this could have happened for so long. The image of a man many adored for over four decades has been destroyed.

But for some, the pain is even greater as the revelations bring back horrific memories of abuse they have suffered in the past. One such man is Chris Daly, from Rutherglen.

Chris has spent years fighting for justice for survivors like himself who have been victims of institutional abuse. He admits recent headlines have taken their toll, but they have made him even more determined to keep his crusade going

Chris, 47, is secretary of In Care Abuse Survivors (INCAS) and he hopes the swiftness with which the authorities in England have attempted to deal with the Savile allegations will finally be matched north of the border.

Since addressing a Scottish Parliament petitions committee in 2002, Chris has gained an apology from then First Minister Jack McConnell and seen a pilot project set up to look at abuse in Quarriers institutions.

But he still feels more needs to be done and wants the Scottish Government to set up a redress system, similar to one in Ireland, for victims of institutional abuse, and provide financial support for counselling. Listening to one of the people involved in this down south, he said this was going to be traumatic for survivors and a lot of people at INCAS are saying they are being bombarded with this and it is bringing back their own traumatic memories,” he says.

“But there is also a lot of anger as to why the Scottish Government haven’t acted on this already.

“The Scottish Government are currently drafting a bill that will create a national confidentiality forum and I said to their legal expert that there would be implications up here if there is civil action and civil litigation taken by survivors in relation to Savile. A lot of kids Savile abused were brought up in care. This went on in children’s homes and places like that, even psychiatric units. Places with vulnerable teenagers and NHS institutions.

“There are a lot of parallels with ourselves, but within a matter of weeks it’s being discussed in Parliament.” Chris was a victim of abuse at Nazareth House, a Catholic home in Aberdeen, in the 70s. He has since suffered alcoholism, depression and panic attacks.

He previously gained support from both Nicola Sturgeon and Kenny Macaskill for a public inquiry into institutional abuse, but has been dismayed by the lack of action from successive governments as well as the Church itself.

“You just need to look at how quickly Ireland dealt with this after Bertie Ahern apologised,” he says. “Within a couple of years they had a redress system in place.

“I have a letter from Nicola Sturgeon in 2004 and she makes it clear there should be a public inquiry and from the transcripts of the debate in the chamber, it seems Kenny Macaskill feels the same. Since they have come to power they don’t seem to be going down that route.”

The Scottish Government say the commissioned the Scottish Human Rights Commission to produce a human rights framework in 2009.

The InterAction group, led by the Centre of Excellence for Looked After Children in Scotland and made up of former residents and representatives of institutions, is currently considering the SHRC’s recommendations.

The Government said: “The Scottish Human Rights InterAction is looking at how recommendations from the Commission’s Framework can be taken forward.

“As part of this process, participants in the InterAction will consider any need for a public inquiry and reparation for survivors of abuse.

“The Scottish Government continues to engage in this process with other stakeholders.”