Salvation Army acknowledges Royal Commission report

The following can be attributed to The Salvation Army Chief Secretary Gerry Walker:

The Salvation Army acknowledges the release of the Royal Commission’s report on abuse in state care and in the care of faith-based institutions in Aotearoa New Zealand. We are deeply grateful for, and commend, the bravery of all survivors who participated in the Inquiry. We also appreciate the thorough and comprehensive nature of the Inquiry.

We are currently reviewing the report and its recommendations, and are not yet in a position to offer further detailed comments beyond this statement.

We are profoundly sorry for the suffering experienced by those in our care. We recognise the immense courage it takes for survivors to revisit and share their traumatic experiences, which should never have happened. The pain and harm inflicted on these individuals were deeply unjust and have had lasting impacts on them and their loved ones. There is no excuse for these actions, and it is heartbreaking that they occurred within an organisation dedicated to serving a God of love.

We understand that words alone cannot mend the wounds that have been caused. The Salvation Army is fully committed to listening to survivors and learning from this Royal Commission. This commitment extends not only to our redress processes but also to any recommendations made to better support those harmed in our care in the past and to ensure the safety and well-being of all vulnerable individuals accessing our services today.

You can read more about our response to the Royal Commission here: https://www.salvationarmy.org.nz/about-us/complaints-privacy/royal-commission.

The Salvation Army Territorial Media Officer, 021 945 337, email: media@salvationarmy.org.nz (The Media Officer responds to enquiries from media outlets and journalists. If you would like to donate, are in need of help, or have some other non-media-related enquiry, please call 0800 53 00 00.)