AUSTRALIA
ABC News
By Candice Marcus
The Salvation Army instructed a law firm to try to resolve claims made by sexual and physical abuse victims without going to court, a royal commission has heard.
The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse is examining four Salvation Army-run children’s homes in South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia.
Philip Brewin from law firm Nevett Ford gave evidence about his firm’s advice to the Salvation Army on dealing with alleged abuse.
He said his firm was instructed by the Salvation Army to “attempt to resolve matters amicably, without the need for the claimant to issue proceedings”.
The commission, sitting in Adelaide, was told that claims of physical abuse would generally be settled for between $5,000 and $35,000, while claims of sexual abuse would be settled for up to $50,000.
It heard the average redress payments made by the Salvation Army were $40,000.
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