Hi Wilma and Huffnpuff,I listened to Exposed to Moral Danger in company with another ex inmate and we were both lost for words.I relived the nightmare of my 24weeks and 3 days in that hell hole.I was not sexually abused whilst at hay but i did buck the system and spend a lot of time in isolation and had my meals reduced many times.I could not have believed the effect,after all these years,the program had on me.I,m an easy going,happy person but remembering what happened in those places has made me more determined to do my bit and stop anything like this occuring again.The humiliation and degredation we were put through as young children has left a scar on all of us,even myself.I hope many people listened to the program as the word needs to be spread.Unfortunately the bastards that raped and abused us are now dead and can,t be held accountable.The women who worked in those places knew what was occuring,if they had spoken up as one voice,maybe it would have been stopped.I do put some of the blame on them and didn't find one of them to give a damn.Quite the opposite in fact. When all is said and done,they were supposed to be caring for us.

"When all is said and done,they were supposed to be caring for us."

___________________________________________________________________

And that is the bottom line.

They were supposed to be caring for children, they didnt.

I listened to Radio National yesterday also and made sure that anyone in my house sat and heard it too... my husband now has a better understanding of what went on, what is happening and what needs to happen.

Wilma - you are an amazing strong woman, who inspires others all the time!!... thank you!

To all the other survivors of Hay and the child welfare board... talk, speak and be strong.. there are many people waiting to listen.

Dont be silenced by those who are blind and deaf... for every person who 'doesnt get it' there are many who do.

John Howard wants Australian history to be taught in schools..... I wonder if this is what he has in mind... I know as a parent I want my children to know.

Knowledge is power... power to ensure that this NEVER happens again.

Haygirl and Wilma

I agree with Liftingtherug. You are both strong people and your example encourages others to be strong.

Thank you for rattling the chains. It's very important that people like you (and me) keep at it. Governments, churches and charities hope we will all just die or get old and tired.

Today's Age newspaper has a list of Howard's Milestones in Australian History which all Australian children in Years 9 and 10 must study. Surprise, surprise - there's no mention of the 5000,000 Australian children who were incarcerated in institutions between 1920 and 1990. Apparently, we only want our schools to teach 'nice' history.

So the Forgotten Australians will be forever forgotten unless peole like you (and me) keep making our voices heard. Good on yer.

Haygirl
Hindsight "Exposed to Moral Danger" really rubbed salt in to wounds again .
Older girls that rang me Sunday had not heard any of that documentation from Government hansards,or Welfare they were absolutely re-traumatized.
to know that what was happening to us was know and talked about in parliament ignored and laughed about.

I agree, its a pity the officers didn't speak up earlier.
After so many lives were damaged and lives taken threw substance abuse or suicide both go together. Even though it all validates our stories now.

The Hay girls won the Canberra Short Film Festival award for the Documentary "Eyes To The Ground And Welcome To Hay".Saturday night in the youth section.

Both those documentaries should be read and shown in Parliament at there next sitting. Its all getting taught in the Canberra tafe for community development and has been since the Senate Inquiry. Forgotten Australians.

Stay on top of it Haygirl, grab more strength and determination from that pain, for the ones not so fortunate the ones they took every thing from. Its easy to see where my head space was last night I did two postings not realizing. Revisiting the past always re-traumatizes.
FrankGol
There's a lot of voices out there we just need to get them all together. Its a shame there is so many still so damaged ,just imagine if they all had a voice. We all did, we were humans born with one, till the State Governments ,Churches and charities took that, so they could get away with there criminal acts.

Wilma