The Victorian Government is formally acknowledging victim-survivors of child sexual abuse in public schools.
Premier and Minister for Education Ben Carroll will deliver the formal apology today in Parliament House.
The apology recognises the impacts of child sexual abuse on victim-survivors and their families – including the fundamental trust bro ken in our schools.
The apology has been informed by victim-survivors’ experiences shared through the Forum for Truth and Recognition and the Beaumaris Board of Inquiry.
It’s also shaped by the observations documented in the Systemic Review into historical child sexual abuse in Victorian public schools.
Together, these reports deepen our understanding of child sexual abuse in Victorian public schools in the decades before 2000.
The reports found that perpetrators exploited weak regulation and schools failed to prioritise child safety.
The Government acknowledges the strength and courage of all victim-survivors who came forward – through the Beaumaris Inquiry, the Forum, civil claims or other means.
Since 2000, Victoria has made a raft of reforms to prevent abuse of children in schools and to change the way those in authority respond to abuse allegations.
These include Working with Children Checks, mandatory Child Safe Standards in every school, the Reportable Conduct Scheme and strengthened teacher registration requirements through the Victorian Institute of Teaching.
In response to the Board of Inquiry, the Government established a range of supports for victim-survivors of child sexual abuse in government schools.
These include a dedicated website and phone line, a restorative engagement program and improved access to personal information and records.
For more information on support options and services available for victim-survivors, visit vic.gov.au/victim-survivor-support-former-students.
As stated by Premier and Minister for Education Ben Carroll
“We are deeply sorry for the systemic failures that allowed abuse to occur. Students were not believed and their abusers were not held to account.”
“We cannot undo the harm caused, but we are learning from these failures and continuing to strengthen child safety in Victorian schools.”
