AUSTRALIA
ABC News
By Mark Solomons
The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has made a direct appeal to children in care to give evidence.
Commissioner Robert Fitzgerald addressed more than 100 children under 18, many of whom are in the child protection system, at a youth conference in Brisbane today.
He invited them to tell their stories and give advice to the commission based on their experiences.
“I, as a Commissioner, don’t know how it feels to be in and out of home care,” he told delegates.
“You’ve felt it, experienced it. You know what we need to do. Tell us.”
Mr Fitzgerald said much of the evidence already heard in the royal commission involved historic allegations of abuse in schools, religious institutions and other organisations.
But with about 50,000 children moving in and out of care each year in Australia, he said it was important to hear contemporary accounts of their experiences.
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