A Catholic order in Australia has halted a wave of abuse compensation cases because it is running out of money, leaving some victims feeling like their "suffering is being extended".
The Christian Brothers order, which ran more than 100 schools across Australia at the height of its influence, said it had paid out more than Aus$480 million (US$330 million) to abuse victims since 1980.
It successfully applied in the Supreme Court of New South Wales to temporarily pause a spate of upcoming cases on Thursday, arguing that further payouts would lead to financial ruin.
Instead, the order has proposed to sell off property and assets to pay for settlements negotiated out-of-court.
"We accept that we have now reached a pivotal moment facing a very difficult financial position, and consequently the proposed scheme is the most responsible course of action," the Oceania Province of the Christian Brothers said in a statement posted online.
