The painful topic of sexual abuse in the church, was in the news this week. A big report has been released in Ireland - 2600 pages - detailing the kind of abuses children suffered in schools and orphanages from the 1930s to the 1990s. Many of these schools were church-run.

The report took nine years to complete, and includes stories of physical and psychological abuse from more than 1000 witnesses - Some were Australians who travelled to Ireland to testify. The report examines the systems that have allowed such abuses, and the lessons we need to learn from it. While the report is from another nation, it still raises very real issues that will touch a raw nerve with many Australians.

This week on Open House we spoke about this difficult topic to Chris McIsaac. She's a spokeswoman for Broken Rites, a support group for victims of church-related sexual abuse.

We also spoke to John McNally, a victim who suffered severe sexual abuse as a boy in the 1950s. He began to talk about his experience and seek justice in the 1990s; and he now helps others who are going through the same process. 

I'd like to hear from you on this topic

• Did you have an abuse experience where your trust was broken as a young person?

• How did it affect your life?

• I'd particularly like to hear about how it affected your faith. Did you lose your faith?

• Did you equate what you experienced at the hands of people, with the nature of God? Were you angry at God?

• Have you been able to seek justice?

• Have you been able to forgive?

• If you've been able to keep your faith or return to faith tell us how ?
 
• (Important: We don't want to name names...)

•  Tell us your story.