Australia : Incest dad jailed for abusing daughter
Incest dad jailed for abusing daughter
MELISSA IARIA AND MELISSA JENKINS
February 15, 2010
A Victorian woman who bore four children to her father during three decades of sexual abuse was let down by the system which did not report her plight to police, says the state's child safety commissioner.
The father was on Monday jailed for more than 22 years for the abuse which began in the 1970s when the woman was 13.
Police were not told about the abuse until 2005 despite welfare authorities knowing of the allegations.
"I have worked in this system for 35 years so nothing is new to me but to sit there this morning and listen to a litany of horror ... it's really quite extraordinary to think that a person can be let down by not just systems but by community and family, as this woman has been let down," Child Safety Commissioner Bernard Geary told AAP.
"This young woman has been let down by the community, the system and the people that she trusted."
Her father, 66, was jailed in the Victorian County Court on Monday for 22 years and five months.
He pleaded guilty to 13 counts, including 10 of incest.
He abused his daughter almost daily until adulthood in the family home, often when other family members, including her mother, were present.
She was forced to perform over 1,000 sex acts with him, sometimes sex twice a day.
Judge Susan Pullen said he lacked real remorse for his crimes, which were in the worst category.
"You defiled your daughter over many years on a regular basis," she said. "Your offending involved a gross breach of trust."
During the early years of abuse, the girl was groped in front of her friends.
Her father told her "You're damaged goods, no one will want you" and that he could do whatever he wanted.
She ran away many times, first reporting the abuse to a counsellor who told the then social welfare department.
The department claimed it was aware of the allegations yet police were not told.
The victim repeatedly told other counsellors over the years but nothing was done.
When she reached adulthood, she bore four children to her father, one of which died.
The abuse continued through her pregnancies and resumed after she had the children.
It often happened when her father was drunk and she complied out of fear.
He had his friends spy on her and threatened to kill her if she moved out of home.
He called her names including "slut", "unfit mother" and "worthless piece of shit".
Judge Pullen said his crimes were worsened by his degrading, threatening and manipulative actions.
"(She) was in many respects your prisoner, despite the lack of bars or restraints," Judge Pullen said.
"She was in effect at your mercy and in my opinion, you knew it."
The victim felt her mother knew of the abuse but no evidence supported this.
She suffered constant thoughts of suicide and her children were a constant reminder of the abuse.
Despite this, the judge said she strove to be a good mother.
The woman told police in 2005 and allowed them to investigate in 2008.
Her father, who initially denied the abuse, sat with his hands clasped and eyes closed as he was jailed for a minimum of 18 years.
Judge Pullen found no evidence his alcoholism and personality disorder caused his crimes.
news.smh.com.au
there is nothing that can give that poor girl her life back , so I'm not ashamed to hope that the boys inside get to spend some time with you mister .
