Leaders of the Methodist Church have apologised to victims of abuse at Wesley College in Pukekohe, Auckland. / Supplied
Methodist Church leaders have acknowledged the pain and suffering experienced by the survivors of abuse at Wesley College, the oldest secondary school in the country.
The church said it wanted to offer an unconditional apology to those abused at the Paerata school, while addressing the Royal Commission into Abuse in Care on Tuesday.
The church’s lawyer, Maria Dew, KC, said children faced continued abuse and neglect not only at Wesley but also at other Methodist schools and children's homes.
Methodist Church of New Zealand general secretary Reverend Tara Tautari said the church had refused to believe many students who had come forward and even tried to block their claims.
“The church carries the primary responsibility for ensuring the protection and wellbeing of those in its care. We failed in this sacred duty and are determined to make amends,” Tautari said.
“We apologise for the callousness of such treatment. It was wrong and should not have happened.’’
Much of the abuse occurred between 1983 and 1994.
According to the church, 20 of 28 redress claims received had already been resolved or were in the process of being so.
Children, young people, and vulnerable adults suffered because the church lacked safeguarding policies and procedures Tautari said.
The Methodist Chapel at Wesley College in Paerata, on the outskirts of Pukekohe in South Auckland. / Supplied
“In some cases, the abusers were employees of church-related institutions; in others, the abusers were clergy members. In some cases, the abusers were students at our college.
“In each case, there is no excuse for any abusive behaviour or harm inflicted on innocent people.”
The "Wesley Way," which meant no narking and snitching, was ingrained at Wesley. Some witnesses had previously told the investigation that it was not all that bad and that it helped shape who they are today.
Tautari admitted it was challenging to have John Wesley, the Methodist Church's founder, be linked to the heinous abuse.
‘’That term distorted in such a way [to] appropriate to mean this type of abuse... It has come to mean the subjection of young people and that is categorically unacceptable to the church. It cannot continue.’’
According to Tautari, it wasn't the Wesley Way as the church saw it.
‘’The Wesley Way as it is now used has undertones of coercion and abuse in order to belong and that is unacceptable,’’ she said.
‘’We apologise unequivocally to all the survivors,’’ Tautari said.
Additional reporting - RNZ
