Survivor 3 Mrs W

was resident in Nazareth House, Cardonald, between 1961, when she was seven or eight years old, and 1969, when she was 16 years old. Her date of birth is 25 November 1953. Consequently she attained majority on 25 November 1971, and the three-year limitation period expired on 25 November 1974, 25 years before her action began.

Mrs W was resident in Nazareth House, Cardonald, from 1961 to 1969. She was aged seven or eight when she first went to live there. Her younger sister went with her, but Mrs W avers that contact between the sisters was not encouraged by the nuns in charge of them. She avers that she was part of what was known as the red group; the nun in charge of that group was Sister E. When Mrs W was aged about ten or eleven, Sister E was replaced by Sister J M who was assisted by a girl called I M. Mrs W avers that she was taken to Nazareth House by a social worker and immediately afterwards met Sister E. Sister E grabbed the pursuer's hair by her fringe and roughly fixed a grip into her hair, in such a way that her head bled. She told Mrs W that she was filthy, that she was covered in nits and lice, and that she stank. She sent Mrs W to be bathed and deloused by an older girl.

Thereafter, Mrs W avers, she was regularly assaulted by a number of nuns. Sister E assaulted her daily, hitting her with whatever implements were available. On one occasion a hairbrush was used, which broke in consequence of the blow. Mrs W was also hit on the back with wire coat hangers and canes. Canes were used on Mrs W's hands, shoulders and back. On one occasion Sister E nipped and twisted Mrs W's flesh. She hit Mrs W with a wet cloth on one occasion because Mrs W had allowed the cloth to fall on her bed. Sister E also slapped Mrs W's face, pulled her hair and pulled her ears, on occasion causing bruising. Some of the assaults were in front of other children. She had knocked together the heads of the pursuer and another girl called B N. Mrs W was also caned by a nun called Sister N. Sometimes she was punished by being made to wait for two or three hours outside Sister N's cell, waiting for punishment. Mrs W was also occasionally assaulted by Sister M, who on one occasion pulled the pursuer by her hair and swung her round off the floor. Sister M on one occasion encouraged a group of children to jump on Mrs W, kicking her and pulling her hair. Other assaults are averred.

Apart from regular assaults, Mrs W makes complaints about a number of other aspects of life in Nazareth House. These included punishment for bedwetting and for visiting the lavatory during the night. Mrs W was forced to eat food that she disliked, including cabbage, and if she were sick she was made to eat that too. On occasion she was told that she was going to a party but was then prevented from doing so. She was compelled to attend school even when she felt unwell, and on one occasion received very unpleasant medical treatment for a problem with her ear. The nuns also made derogatory remarks about Mrs W's mother and grandmother.

It is fair to say that Mrs W's complaints about life in Nazareth House are wide-ranging, and apply to many aspects of her life in the institution. She avers that she was unable to complain about her treatment. On two occasions she complained to Sister N about Sister E's actions, but Sister N told her that she was a liar and a troublemaker, and caned her. Mrs W avers that the nuns did not allow her mother to visit her, and that her father visited her on about four occasions. Social workers visited her on two occasions, but nuns were present throughout the visits.

On the basis of the allegations of fact summarized above, Mrs W avers that throughout her time at Nazareth House she was subjected to a brutal, violent and cruel régime by the nuns working there. She was subjected to degrading and inhumane methods of punishment; she was ill-treated by the nuns; and the standard and quality of care provided for her welfare were poor. Such treatment was systematic and regular, continuing throughout the entire period of Mrs W's residence at Nazareth House. As a result it is said that she suffered loss, injury and damage. The individual nuns were acting in pursuance of the operation of Nazareth House as a residential children's home, and were doing so under the control of the defenders. Consequently it is said that the defenders were responsible for the nuns' acts. It is further averred that the defenders failed in their duty to take reasonable care for the health, safety and welfare of the children residing at Nazareth House, including Mrs W. The particular duties of care cover both inadequate supervision of individual nuns and the general running of the premises. In addition, a statutory case is pled based on the Administration of Children's Homes (Scotland) Regulations 1959. In this connection, it is averred that the defenders did not make adequate arrangements for the well-being of the children resident in Nazareth House, administered punishment in a manner inconsistent with the Regulations, and failed to keep adequate records as required by the Regulations.

Mrs W said that she suffered trauma and psychological damage as a result of her treatment. In 1998 she was diagnosed as suffering from severe depression and anxiety. It is said that her symptoms are comparable to those experienced by persons suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. I comment on this matter in detail in the part of this opinion dealing with psychological and psychiatric evidence, but only for the purpose of assessing the explanations advanced for the survivor's failure to make claims at an earlier date; what I say there should not be taken as affecting the substance of the survivor's claims, which I am obliged to assume are well-founded. Mrs W further said that she has suffered from insomnia, has low self-esteem, has been involved in abusive relationships and has had difficulty forming relationships. She is socially isolated and has a poor quality of life. It is further said that she did not have the self-confidence to proceed to further education, although she was intellectually capable of doing so. Consequently she has been employed in less rewarding jobs and has been unemployed.