Royal Commission closes registrations for private sessions

AUSTRALIA
Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse

29 April, 2016

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse is closing registrations for private sessions on 30 September 2016.

Private sessions allow survivors of child sexual abuse in an institution to share their story directly with a Commissioner in a private setting.

The Hon. Justice Peter McClellan AM, Chair of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse said the strong demand from survivors to share their story has resulted in a queue of people waiting to meet with a Commissioner.

“The rate at which people come to the Commission seeking a private session shows no present sign of diminishing. It has averaged 37 per week over the past 12 months,” Justice McClellan said.

“If the present demand for private sessions continues throughout the life of the Commission, unless we close off applications well before we complete our final report, many people who may seek a private session will be disappointed.”

“In our view it would be intolerable for a survivor to be accepted for a private session only to find we could not meet with them,” he said.

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