An independent inquiry into decades of abuse in New Zealand’s state and religious care systems has exposed a pattern of mistreatment and neglect that the Royal Commission described as a national disgrace. Over a period of more than seven decades, an estimated 200,000 children and vulnerable adults were abused with the majority of cases involving Māori.
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The inquiry was initiated in 2018 and spanned six years culminating in a report weighing 14 kilograms. It was the largest and most complex Royal Commission ever conducted in New Zealand and had the widest scope of any similar inquiry worldwide.
The investigation primarily focused on the period from 1950 to 1999 but also included testimonies from those who suffered abuse after 1999.
The inquiry involved over 100 days of public hearings, nearly 3,000 testimonies and more than one million documents received as evidence.
Of the 655,000 people who went through care institutions since the 1950s, approximately 200,000 experienced abuse.
The report said that the actual number of survivors could be higher due to unreported cases. The inquiry found sexual, physical, emotional abuse and neglect across state institutions, foster care, faith-based care and educational and medical settings.
Abusers included caregivers, religious leaders, social workers and medical professionals. The abuse took place in a variety of institutions including psychiatric hospitals like Lake Alice, where children were subjected to torture through electric shocks and painful injections as punishment.
Survivors faced trauma including homelessness, poverty, addiction, poor health and limited educational and employment opportunities.
Māori survivors experienced disconnection from their culture and identity. Many survivors were funneled into criminal paths leading to gang membership, imprisonment and even suicide.
The inquiry estimated the total economic cost of the abuse and neglect at about $200 billion with the average cost of abuse in a survivor’s lifetime amounting to NZ$857,000 (approximately $508,000).
The report criticized state agencies and churches for their failure to prevent, stop or acknowledge the abuse. Many senior figures in government and religious institutions continued to cover up and excuse abuse in public hearings.
Complaints from survivors were often disregarded and records were either lost or destroyed. Indigenous children were disproportionately targeted for placement in harsh facilities.
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Prime Minister Christopher Luxon describing it as a dark and sorrowful day for New Zealand. He expressed shock at the findings and committed to a formal apology to the survivors on November 12.
While the inquiry estimated compensation costs to run into billions of dollars, the Prime Minister stated it was too soon to determine the exact amount or the consequences for officials involved in covering up the abuse.
The investigation revealed that nearly one in three individuals in state or religious care from 1950 to 2019 experienced abuse. This equates to approximately 200,000 victims.
The abuse spanned 70 years with cases recorded from 1950 to 2019. This issue highlights systemic problems within both state and religious institutions that failed to protect those in their care.
The report detailed various forms of abuse including physical assault, sexual abuse, psychological trauma, forced labor and medical maltreatment such as electric shocks and unauthorized sterilizations.
Māori and Pacific people were disproportionately affected by the abuse. They were often subjected to racial discrimination, culturally degrading treatment and higher levels of physical abuse.
The inquiry estimated that the economic cost of the abuse ranges from NZ$96 billion to NZ$217 billion. This includes increased healthcare costs, higher rates of homelessness and criminal justice expenses due to the impacts on survivors.
Prime Minister Christopher Luxon expressed deep regret over the findings labeling it “a dark and sorrowful day” for New Zealand.
The Royal Commission made 138 recommendations across New Zealand law, society and government to address the issues uncovered.
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