The Chairman of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has warned the stories that are emerging from the process “will shock people”.

Today marked the first day of public hearings of the Royal Commission. Up until now the Commission has been holding private hearings around the country and gathering evidence since receiving its terms of reference in January.

In his opening address, Justice Peter McClellan said more than 400 private hearings with witnesses and victims have already taken place, with a further 449 waiting to tell their story, and even more in line to be assessed for a private session.

He told the Commission even though their work had only just begun, some preliminary themes were emerging.

“It is apparent that where an organisation lacks an appropriate culture and there are not appropriate practices and training of staff within the organisation, there is a risk that sexual abuse will occur.

“In some institutions there may be only one perpetrator. In others there will be multiple abusers and many children may be abused. It is reported to us that when it occurs in residential institutions sexual abuse is almost always accompanied by almost unbelievable levels of physical violence inflicted on the children by the adults who had responsibility for their welfare.”

He said the Commission had decided to dedicate the public hearings to matters of “systemic issues and policy matters”. However, it will also consider conducting public hearings into institutions where there is a significant cluster of victims, or where organisations contain a concentration of alleged abusers and systemic issues.

Counsel Assisting, Ms Gail Furness SC today laid out the schedule for the Commission’s public hearings from now until Christmas. They begin today with a hearing into the handling of complaints about (against?) Steven Larkins, who was active in the Scouting movement and Hunter Aboriginal Children’s Services Corporation.

The schedule also includes a hearing in November to examine issues surrounding child sexual abuse in the North Coast Children’s Home by the Anglican Diocese of Grafton, NSW in 2006 and 2007

The schedule also includes a hearing in November to examine issues surrounding child sexual abuse in the North Coast Children’s Home by the Anglican Diocese of Grafton, NSW in 2006 and 2007.

The Diocese received a number of claims in 2006 about abuse at the North Coast Children’s Home in Lismore between the 1940s and 1980s.

Earlier this year ABC reported Bishop Keith Slater admitted to not passing on all complaints to the church’s professional standards director, saying legal liability questions clouded the issue. The Commission will look into the handling of these complaints.

The Commission’s hearing into the North Coast Children’s Home will be followed by a hearing in December into the Catholic church’s ‘Towards Healing’ complaints procedure for victims of clergy child sex abuse.

Ms Furness indicated an orphanage, as well as the Salvation Army and one or more institutions within the Catholic Church would be subject to hearings next year. Previously, church groups have indicated they support the Commission’s work.

The hearings can be viewed by webcast on the Royal Commission’s website. Victims may make contact with the Commission by phone – 1800 099 340 or email: register.interest@childabuseroyalcommission.gov.au