Page 792 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 21 March 2018
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The commission held 57 public hearings, heard 8,013 stories in private session and received 1,344 personal written accounts. Of their learnings from speaking with people who have experienced child sexual abuse, the commissioners wrote:
Many spoke of having their innocence stolen, their childhood lost, their education and prospective career taken from them, and their personal relationships damaged. For many, sexual abuse is a trauma they can never escape. It can affect every aspect of their lives.
We also witnessed extraordinary personal determination and resilience among victims and survivors. We saw many survivors who, with professional help and the support of others, have taken significant steps towards recovery.
The ACT government has already addressed some of the recommendations made by the royal commission. Earlier this week the Chief Minister and Attorney-General announced that the ACT would join the national redress scheme for abuse survivors, an important step in acknowledging the harm caused by institutionalised sexual abuse and accepting responsibility.
Eligible survivors from the ACT will now have access to counselling and psychological services—an absolutely critical part of the scheme, as recognised in the quote from the royal commission about the resilience and recovery of survivors. Monetary payments of up to $150,000 will be available under the scheme and people will also receive a direct personal response from the institution where the abuse occurred—another very important element of healing.
The ACT government has also legislated the reportable conduct scheme, which commenced operation in July 2017. The scheme governs how organisations prevent and respond to allegations of child abuse and misconduct and requires certain employers who work with children to report child abuse or misconduct by an employee or volunteer to the ACT Ombudsman. This is part of a suite of measures aimed at protecting children and other vulnerable Canberrans which also includes the need for those working in particular occupations or working or volunteering with children to have a working with vulnerable people card.
The Attorney-General has also made legislative changes to strengthen child sex abuse offences so that maintaining a sexual relationship with a young person, rather than individual sexual acts, constitutes the offence. The changes strengthened offences related to child grooming by expanding grooming offences to include any communication or conduct with a child undertaken with the intention of grooming the child to be involved in a sexual offence, and to cover grooming of persons other than the child, such as parents or carers.
As the amendment to the motion reflects, the royal commission has made many recommendations related to child safety. The ACT government will continue to develop our formal response to the commission, which we have committed to deliver in June this year.
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