The Catholic Church has confirmed it will be part of a national redress scheme for victims of child sexual abuse in Australia.
The nation recently held a five-year inquiry into sexual abuse in the country’s institutions.
Among harrowing stories, it heard that 7% of Australia’s Catholic priests abused children between 1950 and 2010.
Governments and institutions have faced intense pressure to join a compensation programme for victims.
The Church said it was “keen to participate” in the scheme, to be co-ordinated by the Australian government.
“Survivors deserve justice and healing and many have bravely come forward to tell their stories,” said Archbishop Mark Coleridge, president of the Australian Catholic Bishops Conference.
The Church is the first non-government organisation to join the scheme, which is scheduled to begin in July.
Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull described the decision as a “significant development”.
