National child sexual abuse redress scheme needed, says royal commission

AUSTRALIA
The Guardian

Helen Davidson
@heldavidson
Sunday 13 September 2015

Society has failed to protect multiple generations of children from sexual abuse, and a single, national redress scheme is needed to ensure justice and fair compensation for survivors, the royal commission has recommended.

The Australian government should announce its willingness by the end of the year, the royal commission said.

The findings come in a final report on redress and civil litigation (pdf) by the royal commission into institutional responses to child sexual abuse, which took submissions from more than 250 organisations and individuals.

The commission is currently holding its 28th public hearing into a case study of an Australian institution in which devastating child sexual abuse occurred.

“Because of the nature and impact of the abuse they suffered, many victims of child sexual abuse have not had the opportunity to seek compensation for their injuries that many Australians generally can take for granted,” the report said.

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