AUSTRALIA
ABC News
These are the 15 recommendations of the Victorian Parliament’s inquiry into the handling of child abuse by religious and other organisations
Reform criminal law
Compulsory reporting to police – Legislative amendments to ensure that a person who fails to report or conceals criminal child abuse will be guilty of an offence.
A new child endangerment offence – Making it a criminal offence for people in authority to knowingly put a child at risk, or fail to remove them from a known risk, of criminal child abuse.
A new grooming offence – The creation of a separate criminal offence extending beyond current grooming laws to make it an offence to groom a child, their parents or others with the intention of committing a sexual offence against the child (regardless of whether the sexual
offence occurs).
Easier access to the civil justice system
Address legal entity of non-government organisations – Require non-government organisations to be incorporated and adequately insured.
New structures – The Victorian Government is to work with the Australian Government to require organisations that engage with children to adopt incorporated legal structures.
Remove time limits – Legislative amendments to exclude criminal child abuse from the current statute of limitations, recognising that it can take decades for victims to come forward.
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