It’s a feeling all too familiar for Paterson’s Bill Cummins, who suffered physical and psychological abuse at the hands of the Catholic church.

Beaten and verbally abused by his headmistress from the age of 4 and even pushed down a set of stairs by a teacher at his Marist Brothers school, almost 60 years later Bill is still dealing with the horrific memories from his childhood.

“She [the headmistress] did go out of her way to tell me how stupid I was,” he said. “That set me back many years, it really did vandalise my schooling.

“These are the effects that people don’t know about that are still quite life-changing for the victims.

“It should now all be behind me, but I can’t wipe it from my memory.”

The pain is clear in the way Bill described the perpetrators – “animals” - before correcting himself.

“Well you can’t call them animals, because animals don’t go out of their way to be cruel,” he said. “These are creatures below humanity.”

But from that pain has come something meaningful – a sculpture Bill created called ‘The Star of Hope’ dedicated to all survivors of abuse to show them they are not alone.

As a talented sculptor Bill has created many works over the years, but this was one he felt compelled to do, both for himself and other victims.

“The aim was to give hope and a really strong and clear message that people can see and remember,” he said. “This is a symbol of support, that there are supporters out there.”

Bill said completing the stainless steel star helped him heal, but the process was also a difficult one that took several years.

“I used to look at it and feel despair because of the memories it brought back,” he said. “It did take its toll on me psychologically. But I am very happy with it now.”

Bill said he hoped the sculpture helped victims escape that feeling of being alone.

“When I was a child I had nowhere to turn,” he said. “Knowing that people care is a big thing. There is hope, there is help and there are people who are concerned.”

But more than just showing support to other victims, Bill hopes the sculpture stops others being abused.

“By doing this, I’m protecting a child and that child was me,” he said. “I don’t really feel revenge is a viable way of curing this problem – it achieves nothing. But to avoid further children becoming victims is by far the greatest option.”

The eight-metre stellated icosahedron is currently sitting in Bill’s yard, but he wants to work with councils or other corporate bodies to have it installed in a prominent place for others to visit.

It’s an idea fellow Hunter survivor Paul Gray would love to see. 

Mr Gray, who was abused by deceased Anglican priest Fr Peter Rushton in the 1960s, said the sculpture would help bring abuse into the light and was a physical representation of what the Royal Commission into Child Sexual Abuse has achieved.

“It’s a rallying point for people to know this hasn’t gone away,” he said.

“Let it be a star of hope that can shine for the survivors and their families.”