Wide Scope for Abuse Royal Commission

9 News
April 3, 2013

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/national/2013/04/03/14/37/wide-scope-for-abuse-royal-commission

[with video]

The royal commission into sexual abuse in institutions will give a voice to victims and gain vital information to deal with cases in the future, its chairman says.

The commission will examine all institutions in a far-ranging inquiry that will last at least three years.

More than 5000 people are expected to tell their stories meaning the commission will struggle to meet its deadlines, chair Justice Peter McClellan said.

The commission will look at a number of issues associated with the abuse and lessons that can be learned.

People who have suffered abuse in institutions such as churches, schools, scouting groups, orphanages, athletic clubs, childcare centres and detention centres will be invited to give evidence.

Justice McClellan said in his opening remarks on Wednesday that the royal commission will give a voice to sexual abuse survivors and enable them to tell their stories in either a private or public setting.

"The commissioners accept that part of the task given to us by the terms of reference is to bear witness, on behalf of the nation, to the abuse and consequential trauma inflicted upon many people who have suffered sexual abuse as children," he said.

Justice McClellan said the commission will not act as a prosecutor or as an avenue for compensation.

It will also not make findings about a named person being sexually abused by another named person within an institution.

The commission will look at topics such as services available to survivors of child sexual abuse, restorative and therapeutic justice, the prevalence of abuse in institutions, organisational impediments to reporting, mandatory reporting, the systems for overseeing the management of complaints and the sentencing regime for sex offenders.

Counsel assisting the commission Gail Furness SC said one area that would be examined was the checks required for working with children.

She said the commission had already been informed by one organisation of a problem in that area.

Ms Furness said while findings would not be made about individuals abusing other individuals, the commission will make findings about "the conduct of institutions and individuals within institutions in responding to allegations of child sexual abuse".

She said the commission's working definition of child sexual abuse was any act which exposes a child to or involves a child in sexual process beyond his or her understanding or contrary to community standards.

"Sexually abusive behaviours can include voyeurism, exhibitionism and exposing a child to or involving a child in pornography," she said.

Sexual abuse in an institution is any sexual behaviour between a child and adult when the adult is in a position of power over them, Ms Furness said.