AUSTRALIA
The Courier
November 9, 2018
By Leanne Younes
A lawyer, who was one of the first to represent historical sexual abuse victims, has noticed a rise in civil law suits since the National Apology on 22 October 2018 and the start of the Commonwealth Redress Scheme in July.
Angela Sdrinis, of Angela Sdrinis Legal, who was one of the first legal practices to represent historical child sexual abuse clients said her firm and many legal practices had experienced a significant increase in claims.
“We have noticed an increase, and frankly we are all surprised,” she said. “We didn’t really expect it, given the Royal Commission ran for five years … I mean where have these people been?”
“We do know that one of the significant obstacles to coming forward for survivors is the guilt and shame they feel, so perhaps it has taken all of this for these people to finally feel they can.”
“Perhaps with the apology at that level and the establishment of a national redress scheme, they finally feel as if they have permission to come forward.”
Ms Sdrinis said her firm was receiving about 20 new clients a month and the civil law claims were producing results, with the “most common range for civil historical abuse settlements between $200,000 and $500,000.”
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