In our PREVIOUS POSTING we gave our opinion on Senator Philip Bailhache's agenda for the meeting he had called at the Grouville Parish Hall and how we believed it was all part of his bigger plan to break ties with the UK. The meeting was apparently called in order to inform churchgoers what the implications are of the Visitation from Bishop John Gladwin concerning the suspension of Jersey's Dean, his subsequent reinstatement, and related constitutional issues.
What we hadn't foreseen was how this meeting could be used as a platform to discredit the abuse victim (HG) particularly in light of recent events surrounding the Haut de la Garenne atrocities and the Jimmy Savile rein of terror where lessons are supposed to have been learnt.
Former 30 year MET Police veteran, Jersey politician, and Human Rights Campaigner, Bob Hill B.E.M, asked Senator Bailhache, at the meeting, a legitimate question (video below) asking "do you think "HG" (victim) was unfairly treated and will you be putting as much effort into ensuring she gets as well looked after as the Dean?" Senator Bailhache appeared stomped by that question, and it was left to Dr. Ashenden to fend it off the best he could. Dr. Ashenden told the crowd "There wouldn't be anybody in the Island's church who would want to do anything but show support and concern and love and understanding" (for HG). But we ask readers WHO in the island's church has spoken out in support of the victim HG? There has been many letters, from churchgoers, in support of the Dean but thus far, as far as we are aware, not one churchgoer has publicly declared their support for the victim. As we have previously reported we have spoken with a number of churchgoers who DO support HG but are too scared to speak up in fear of repercussions from the Jersey church hierarchy. Indeed we have received, as yet unconfirmed, information that repercussions have already taken place against, at least one individual in the church, who DID NOT support the Dean.
Bob Hill was not going to accept Dr. Ashenden's intervention and pressed Senator Bailhache for an answer where the Senator, in our opinion, further set about discrediting HG. He also believed the question was "not fair" and by the mumblings from the good Christian crowd, it appears, he was not alone in thinking that.
Senator Bailhache made much of HG's so-called "mental illness", her "committing a criminal offence" and so forth. How she was "extremely sensitively and well treated by the Magistrates court" who bound her over to leave the island for 3 years (deported her) where she was left penniless, and homeless, in mainland England.
A churchgoer who had previously written a letter to Jersey's only "news"paper claiming that HG had made similar abuse allegations in Guernsey asked questions about this at the meeting and what transpired (in the video below) was somewhat ironic considering the questioner, and letter writer, talked of "inaccurate statements in the Korris Report."
All in all a number of us were left with the impression, after the meeting, that the good Christian Folk appeared more interested in protecting the Dean, and discrediting the victim, than they did protecting, or supporting, victims of abuse which does the Jersey church no favours at all.