Dear Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet,
Since the Government announced the Board of Inquiry into historic child sexual abuse at Beaumaris Primary School, survivors have continued to raise concerns with us. The following is the summary of the feedback from survivors of historic child sexual abuse we've received to-date.
---------------------------------
Most survivors of child sexual abuse have experienced being silenced by those in positions of authority, by their abusers and by other authority figures.
The media release and even the optics of the press conference the Victorian Premier gave, about a Board of Inquiry regarding historic child sexual abuse at Beaumaris Primary School, were terrible. An authority figure who has chosen a select few representatives, of a small community whose stories he wants to hear. An authority figure who has already decided what the Government will do with those stories.
For survivors of historic child sexual abuse in other Victorian government schools, the Premier is yet another authority figure who does not want them to speak and share their stories, and ask them what needs to change.
---------------------------------
The reason given for the exclusion of survivors of historic child sexual abuse at other government schools, that the abuse experienced at Beaumaris Primary School was exceptional in its nature and impact, was rejected outright.
The Victorian Premier described it as "'vile, evil and incredibly damaging abuse', and the investigation would acknowledge the “unique and evil goings-on” perpetrated in the past by at least three teachers at the school."
We heard from survivors that all sexual abuse of children is vile, evil and incredibly damaging.
Survivors also highlighted that ongoing reporting, and the findings of Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, provide numerous examples that multiple offenders being employed at one institution, and institutions covering up the abuse and moving offenders onto other institutions, was terrifyingly common in too many institutions dedicated to the care of children.
---------------------------------
Survivors said a safer, inclusive process would have been the Government conducting a trauma informed engagement of Victorian survivors of child sexual abuse in government schools, in the co-design of the Board of Inquiry terms of reference, and supporting processes.
There is no reason why the Victorian Government can't still do this, and we call on the Government to do so as a matter of priority. To avoid further harm and moral injury to so many Victorians.