Royal Commission releases redress and civil litigation report
The Royal Commission has made a raft of recommendations to governments across Australia relating to redress for survivors of child sexual abuse and reforms to legal processes involved in bringing abuse claims to court.
The redress scheme proposal, which is broadly consistent with the Catholic Church's submissions to the Commission in August 2014 would provide equal access and support for survivors – regardless of when they were abused, where they were abused and who abused them.
"These redress recommendations are a huge leap forward for survivors of child sexual abuse.
The Royal Commission this week released two major reports, its final report on redress and reforms to civil litigation processes. Both reports are comprehensive and in their own ways challenging.
Also late last week the Australian Province of the Society of Jesus released its new child and vulnerable people protection policy.
The policy reflects the ever increasing awareness Catholic institutions and the broader community have of the many different issues associated with child sexual abuse and protecting children and vulnerable people.
The Australian Province of the Society of Jesus last week released a major new policy document detailing the practice and procedure to safeguard children and vulnerable adults from abuse within its care.
The policy deals with issues such as professional conduct and awareness, recruitment and selection practices, duty of care, reporting and disclosures, and responding to abuse survivors.
Royal Commission releases findings from Melbourne Response hearing
The Royal Commission's final report into case study 16, which examined the way the Archdiocese of Melbourne has responded to victims of child sexual abuse within the Archdiocese was released this week.
The hearing examined the principles, practices and procedures of the victim's reparation scheme, the Melbourne Response, which was adopted by the Catholic Archdiocese of Melbourne in October 1996.
Catholic commentator and author, Kieran Tapsell, says documents tendered to a recent Royal Commission public hearing provide evidence that the Vatican's disciplinary system caused far more children to be abused than would otherwise have occurred.
In a major speech last week to the National Council of Churches in Australia Royal Commission Chair, Peter McClellan, said all Institutions must encourage both children and parents to bring issues of concern to their attention.
"They must ensure that parents understand that even if their concerns ultimately turn out not to be justified it is important that those concerns be brought to the attention of the institution."
This year's Blue Knot Day is on Monday the 26th October with activities happening throughout that week. In an earlier newsletter we got the date wrong, apologies.
Blue Knot Day is the child sexual abuse national awareness day coordinated by the support and advocacy group, Adults Surviving Sexual Abuse.
On this day, ASCA asks all Australians to unite in support of the 5 million Australian adult survivors of childhood trauma and abuse.
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