Royal Commission into Child Abuse - How Will It Work?

By Selina Green
ABC Adelaide
November 20, 2012

http://blogs.abc.net.au/sa/2012/11/royal-commission-into-child-abuse-how-will-it-work.html

[with audio]

The Federal Government has recently announced a Royal Commission into institutionalised child abuse in Australia, and many are wondering just how it will work, and what the legal implications could be.

Dr Rita Shackel is a senior lecturer at Sydney University's Faculty of Law and she's discussing the terms of reference for the Royal Commission, and the legal implications given that many new cases of abuse are expected to be brought to light as a result.

She has been conducting research on the dynamics of child sexual abuse and the barriers to disclosure, and has a particular interest in historical cases of child sexual abuse, both in terms of the evidentiary, procedural and legal issues such cases throw up, but also regarding the rights and needs of victims. Dr Shackel is speaking here with Stan Thomson.....