AUSTRALIA
Herald Sun
Lawyers should be required to report evidence of child abuse to police, says Child Safety Commissioner Bernie Geary
LAWYERS should be required to report evidence of child abuse to police if they aware that a client they are defending is guilty, says Child Safety Commissioner Bernie Geary.
Mr Geary told 3AW radio that both lawyers and priests should be legally compelled to report evidence of abuse to authorities.
“I think it’s one in all in. I can’t see any reason that anybody who is aware of a child being maltreated, abused, should hold that information. For the sake of the child we all should be looking after children,” he said.
“Professional people are compelled to report, social workers and the like. There’s a list of mandated people. Lawyers too, yes. If they are aware of the person that they were defending is guilty, of course, professionally they need to acknowledge that. I do think that we do make rules for some and not for others.
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