Time to Right the Wrongs of Sex Abuse

By Everard Himmelreich
The Standard
September 21, 2013

www.standard.net.au/story/1791585/time-to-right-the-wrongs-of-sex-abuse/?cs=73

THERE has never been a better time for child abuse victims in the south-west to tell their stories because the community is determined to right the wrongs of the past, a leading police officer claims.

That was the message the Victoria Police’s SANO taskforce investigating new and historical allegations of child sexual abuse told a Warrnambool community forum on Thursday night.

Acting Detective Sergeant Tim Kennedy from SANO said he believed the Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry and the federal government’s royal commission into child abuse had caused a groundswell change in opinion about the abuse of children in the care of government and non-government organisations.

In a plea to local victims of child abuse, Acting Detective Sergeant Kennedy said the government inquiries had dispelled a lot of doubt in the community about the incidence of child abuse in institutional care.

“The community believes what has happened has occurred,” he said.

He said there had also been big changes in the way sexual assaults were investigated.

His comments followed concerns expressed at the community forum by local victims of sexual assault and their families that they had faced decades of disbelief by authorities about their abuse.

One member of the public said health providers were often only alerted that someone had suffered child abuse when they tried to commit suicide. 

Thursday’s public forum was convened by the South Western Centre Against Sexual Assault whose manager Mary Clapham said it had been “busy” dealing with local people who had suffered child abuse in institutional care.

The Victorian Parliament-ary Inquiry and the royal commission had brought that abuse to the forefront for victims and the public forum gave them an idea of what would happen if they made submissions to the inquiries, Ms Clapham said.

A register of people with child abuse claims compiled by Maddens Lawyers in Warrnambool has also highlighted the wide local impact of child abuse.

Maddens Lawyers principal Gary Foster said the list comprised about 350 people from throughout Australia and included dozens of people from the south-west.

Those on the list have registered an interest in pursuing compensation should the government inquiries recommend that compensation be paid to victims.

Acting Detective Sergeant Kennedy said the SANO taskforce had pursued allegations of child abuse made in submissions to the two government inquiries, with the permission of those who made the submissions, and had charged a number of people. 

The taskforce was set up in November last year in response to the establishment of the royal commission.

“The voice of victims is starting to be heard,” Acting Detective Sergeant Kennedy said.

“The victims are saying they want their story told.

“Whether we can provide closure, I do not know,” he said.

Acting Detective Sergeant Kennedy said many victims suffered mental illness and substance abuse and SANO required victims’ support services to be in place before they began an investigation.

The taskforce had investigated offending that occurred more than 40 years ago and had extradited people from interstate and overseas, he said.