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Scotch College reveals five cases of abuse, calls for victims to come forward
By Steve Lillebuen
Exclusive One of Australia's most prestigious private schools has acknowledged, for the first time, that at least five students have been abused on school grounds. In what's seen as a breakthrough for abuse survivors and their advocates, Melbourne's Scotch College has finally admitted it settled a handful of historical claims – most of which relate to sexual abuse – dating back to the 1960s. The Presbyterian-run school, which educates young boys and manages several boarding houses, is now reaching out to others who may have been victimised through a letter sent to thousands of former students, known as Old Boys.
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"We are concerned that throughout their lives, some Old Boys may have suffered trauma that continues to impact on their health and well-being," the school's statement read. "Abuse, be it physical, emotional or sexual, may have occurred during childhood, adolescence or adulthood." The carefully-worded statement then asks those who suffered abuse "relating to their time at Scotch" to seek help by contacting the school's psychologist. The statement had been sent out by the secondary school's alumni group, the Old Scotch Collegians' Association (OSCA), but with the school's direct knowledge and input. Scotch College principal Tom Batty, who arrived in 2008 from Eton College in England, was not available for comment, but a spokesman confirmed the full extent of the school's history of abuse on his behalf. He said at least five abuse cases against Scotch College have been resolved, with the most recent case occurring more than 20 years ago. Most of the claims were sexual abuse allegations relating to one teacher, who taught boys at the Hawthorn school for several decades in the 1950s and 1960s and has since died. "Scotch abhors all types of abuse – both physical and mental – and has for many years had strict processes in place to avoid such occurrences," he said. "If there are any former or current students who have suffered trauma, the school wants to know about it and wants to help." There are no current or pending claims against the school, he said. But the school's first-ever admissions of historical child sexual abuse has been taken as a big step forward, according to one leading victims' support group. Dr Cathy Kezelman, president of Adults Surviving Child Abuse, said institutions traditionally avoided talking about abuse out of fear it would damage their reputation. But that attitude has been changing, largely due to the royal commission exposing how widespread abuse had been occurring, she said. "It's good to see the school showing leadership," she said. "They're being open and transparent." The next step in healing should see the school outline more details about when the abuse occurred, she said. It's understood the resolved cases do not relate to a former Scotch teacher who committed suicide in the Philippines earlier this year after he was charged over the alleged abuse of four children. Hilton Reece Munro, 46, had been a teacher at Scotch College from April 1999 to December 2000, but the school's spokesman said there are no claims against the man while he was employed at the school. The school's revelations come only weeks after another elite Melbourne school revealed its own abuse history. Xavier College has disclosed nine cases of sexual abuse from the 1960s and '70s, though victims' advocates believe there could be dozens more. Ivanhoe Grammar has also stood down one of its teachers after he was charged with historical sex offences. The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has previously heard evidence of a potential cover-up of abuse at Sydney's Knox Grammar school and could hold further hearings into independent schools. Hearings are continuing in Ballarat this week by focusing on Catholic clergy and related institutions.
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