They say an opinion piece by Richard Beks of the Hamilton Spectator diminished victims’ feelings, was dismissive of the crimes and showed a lack of understanding about the impacts of sexual assault. 

In his weekly column, which appeared on Saturday, Mr Beks criticised the sentences handed down to a former Catholic priest and a former Hamilton teacher.

Mr Beks said the teacher was jailed for 18 months in 2008 for “merely touching an under 16 girl’s breast and genitals” which the judge had conceded was “at the lower end of the scale”.

“I’m not nominating him for a medal, however, something like this for the middle-aged bachelor has the hallmarks of misguided curiosity,” Mr Beks wrote. 

“There were no threats or intimidation involved so you could argue that this was closer to a case of appalling manners than a major crime.”

Mr Beks also questioned a nine-month suspended sentence handed down to priest Leslie Sheahan who lost an appeal for indecently assaulting a nine-year-old girl in the 1970s.

“At 83 years of age, living in a nursing home and needing a walking frame to get about, he’s obviously not going to re-offend so a suspended sentence seems pointless.”

South Western Centre Against Sexual Assault manager Mary Clapham said the comments were naive and showed an incredible lack of understanding. 

“It couldn’t be any more appalling as an opinion piece and I’m highly concerned this is considered worthy of publishing in a contemporary newspaper,” Ms Clapham said. 

“Not only does it show a lack of understanding about the impacts of sexual assault on victims, it also presents alternative ways of looking at sexual assault and that alternative view is archaic.

“It undermines all the hard work that is being done in the field.”

Criminologist and head of research for child protection advocacy group Bravehearts, Carol Ronken, said sentencing was also about justice for the victims. 

She said she found the lines “merely touching” and “misguided curiosity” particularly offensive, saying they made the crimes seem less important. “It’s sickening,” she said. “There is absolutely no excuse for touching a young girl.

“Who are we to judge what impact these crimes have on victims? 

“We have absolutely no idea what these girls are going through. 

“Working with victims, I know the impacts of these so-called lower scale crimes are just as bad as more serious crimes.”

Emma House Domestic Violence Service manager Pat McLaren said Mr Bek’s comments dismissed the crimes and diminished victims. 

“I’m shocked and appalled a person in charge of a supposedly responsible newspaper can hold such a view,” she said. 

“It doesn’t matter if there was no intimidation, children cannot defend themselves. I’d hate to think the victims may have read this piece.”

Mr Beks told The Standard yesterday he was expecting some criticism but he stood by the comments. He said he was pointing out each sexual assault case needed to be assessed on its own circumstances and sentences should be based on the seriousness of the crime, not on which group was shouting the loudest. 

“I’ve got no problem with people being held accountable for the crimes, but each case needs to be looked at individually,” he said. 

“Something quite trivial shouldn’t be looked at the same as a serious crime.

“That’s what my words say. If people think otherwise they haven’t read them correctly.”

Former Centre Against Sexual Assault counsellor and Warrnambool City Councillor Jacinta Ermacora said the comments were breathtakingly disappointing, especially from a man in such a senior position in our regional community.