Royal Commission into Child Abuse "Keen to Engage with As Many Regional Communities As Possible"

ABC News
March 6, 2014

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-03-06/royal-commission-into-child-abuse-keen-to-hear/5303496?§ion=news

The royal commission is due to hold its first Western Australian public hearings in April.

Hearings may then be scheduled for regional centres later in the year.

Relationships Australia, which has been funded by the Federal Government to provide support and counselling to people who give evidence, is visiting Broome, Northam and Hedland in coming weeks.

Geraldton, Albany and Kalgoorlie are scheduled for later in the year.

Royal commission support service manager Charmaine Kennedy says it is an open invitation and attending does not mean people will then have to testify.

"The information that will be presented will mainly be about our services and will include how to go through to the royal commission, how to tell your story and how we'll support you and your family if you're going through trauma," she said.

She says it will be a good opportunity for people to find out more, even if they are not sure if they want give evidence.

"This would be a good starting point because the people who are can assist them within our service already know the process, so they can be there to support them from the beginning to the end," she said.

"The royal commission is keen to engage with as many regional communities as possible, because they're very aware that Aboriginal people have also been through institutional abuse."