In his own words: State care abuse survivor wants to see significant changes

Monday, 15 August 2022

Keith Wiffin is a member of the Survivor Advisory group, formed as part of the Royal Commission of Inquiry into Abuse in Care. He was taken by the state in November 1970 and spent time at Epuni Boys’ Home in Lower Hutt, north of Wellington. He suffered violent and sexual abuse in their care.

Today, as the royal commission begins hearing responses from state agencies, Wiffin tells Pou Tiaki reporter Katie Doyle what this day means to him and his hopes moving forward.

What this means to me today, and probably many thousands of others, is this is the Crown's opportunity to take responsibility for the terrible way they've conducted themselves over many, many decades, which has led to the scale of this tragedy.

Also, I'm very much hoping what will come out of this will be a firm and genuine commitment to working with survivors, to see there's no repetition of what has occurred historically.

Unfortunately, what we still have is unacceptable rates of abuse occurring now.

It’s very, very important to honour the memory of those who have not made it, and it's also a very, very big thing for the family and whānau of those who did not survive.

It's a very, very big occasion, which has taken a very, very long time to come about. It is extremely important that significant change comes from it.

I'm a little bit emotional to see the Crown representatives who have opposed us so bitterly at times, over many decades, to be asked searching questions of their conduct.

I know how much trauma that has caused me personally over the years and now, like many, many other survivors, I want to hear answers.