Tasmania opts in to the National Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sexual Abuse

The Sexual Assault Support Service (SASS) commends the Tasmanian Government for its decision, announced earlier today, to opt in to the National Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sexual Abuse.
The Scheme can provide three aspects of redress to survivors, including monetary compensation, counselling and psychological services, and an apology from the concerned institution.
The Redress Scheme marks a significant step in addressing the wrongs of the past, and is a key recommendation coming out of the recent Royal Commission into Institutional responses to Child Sexual Abuse. SASS is however concerned that survivors with a criminal conviction of five years or more will be excluded from the Scheme. We strongly hope that considerations regarding the eligibility of these survivors will, as the Honourable Elise Archer MP stated in Parliament today, take into account the well-documented correlation between child sexual abuse victimisation and subsequent engagement in criminal activities.
SASS works with a number of survivors of institutional child sexual abuse, and understands the innumerable impacts this trauma can have on individuals across their lifespan – including on their education, employment, relationships, physical and mental health.
SASS CEO Jill Maxwell states,
“We know that nothing can undo the past, but the Government’s announcement today does show survivors that society recognises the wrongs that have been done to them and the impact that the abuse has had, and continues to have, on their lives.”

1800 MYSUPPORT (24 hours)
Website: www.sass.org.au
ABN: 35 028 122 232
1800 697 877
SASS CEO Jill Maxwell