Beth Heinrich, now in her 80s, remains relentless in her pursuit of justice from the Anglican Church for the abuse she endured as a teenager in the 1950s.
The church defrocked the perpetrator, Anglican priest Donald Shearman, and provided Heinrich with a lump sum payment. However, she remains dissatisfied with the handling of her initial complaint and the subsequent public remarks made by Dr Peter Hollingworth during his tenure as Archbishop of Brisbane.
Heinrich recently read her victim impact statement at a Melbourne Anglican Professional Standards Board hearing that investigated Dr Hollingworth’s management of survivors’ complaints in the 1990s. This development marks the latest episode in a decades-long saga.
Australian Story first delved into Heinrich’s ordeal in 2002 during an interview with then-Governor-General Hollingworth. His controversial comments about her case sparked a heated public debate, and he resigned from the vice-regal position 15 months later. In 2005, Australian Story shared Heinrich’s story in depth.
Today, Heinrich feels compelled to hold the church accountable. Speaking from her home in regional Victoria, she says, “I feel this is my chance to speak up. It’s an example for others and hopefully it will give them strength to keep at it.”
Retired bishop Peter Hollingworth, now in his 80s, has expressed remorse for his handling of Heinrich’s complaint, admitting to making mistakes but insisting he would never blame a child for sexual abuse.
