Elderly survivors of child sexual abuse in Western Australia could face more hardship with a support service facing possible eviction by the Christian Brothers.
Tuart Place has operated in Fremantle for 15 years, assisting victims of institutional trauma, former child migrants and members of the stolen generation.
Its clients include survivors of historic abuse in institutions run by the Christian Brothers, which has paid millions of dollars in compensation in recent years.
The group's Oceania province has leased out the High Street building at a peppercorn rate but has flagged its intention to sell the property.
Tuart Place director Philippa White says this would deprive more than 500 regular clients of a safe haven and second home.
A public rally against the proposed sale will be held outside the building next Wednesday, with state and federal politicians expected to attend.
"The Christian Brothers are trying to take away a service that provides vital support to abuse survivors, in order to profit from the sale of the building," Dr White said.
"Those children are now elderly men who need this service more than ever."
Dr White said the building was an "insignificant property asset to a very wealthy congregation" and the wellbeing of survivors should be prioritised.
"We do not want the people supported by Tuart Place to be the victims of another injustice," she said.
In a statement on Friday, the Christian Brothers Oceania Province said it needed to manage its resources "within the constraints of growing civil action against us", having flagged an intention to sell the building three years ago.
The organisation cited previous correspondence with Dr White indicating the building's use was a temporary arrangement.
"We have tried earnestly over the past three years to assist Tuart Place, its board and its management (to) relocate in a managed and sustainable way," the group said.
"We remain open to continuing to work collaboratively with them so that they can achieve that goal and secure a new home."
The Christian Brothers were ordered in 2020 to pay more than $1.3 million to an elderly man who suffered horrific abuse in Perth in the 1950s.
John Thomas Lawrence, who gave consent to be identified, was violated over eight years as an orphan at the Clontarf and Castledare institutions.
The group had sought to minimise Mr Lawrence's compensation on the basis he would have had poor economic and educational prospects regardless of the abuse.
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