Australia's national inquiry into church and institutional child abuse - over which 4,000 victims have so far come foward - began public hearings in Sydney today.
Those attending have been warned that widespread and shocking allegations would be heard against places of worship, orphanages, community groups and schools.
The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse will investigate claims made against organisations including Scouts Australia and children's home YMCA.
It will also look at the Catholic Church's procedures for responding to allegations of child sexual abuse.
The initial report is due for release in mid-2014, but the final version is not expected to meet its 2015 year end deadline.
Child abuse allegations by Roman Catholic priests has become a major issue in Australia in recent years; last year the Roman Catholic Church in the Australian state of Victoria confirmed that more than 600 children had been sexually abused by its priests since the 1930s.
