by Wilma Robb (guest author) on 16 February, 2011
Girls who entered Children’s Homes were often subjected, without explanation, to harsh physical exmainations.
The above photo, shared by Wilma Robb, shows the table used for internal examinations at Parramatta Girls Home.
I was in Parramatta from August 1968 – February 1969. I remember the internal examinations well. They started in Minda while waiting for transfer to Parramatta after sentencing; then there was another one on arrival at Parra . It seemed like an unhealthy obsession with our reproductive organs on the part of the state. Later came the pap smears – I often wonder to this day if we were test cases/trials for the testing the efficacy of pap smears as a means of identifying cervical cancer. My permission to do this test was never sought or given. I’m still outraged about it today. An apology is too little/too late.