The Board of Inquiry into historical child sexual abuse at Beaumaris Primary School and certain other government schools is perpetrator-centric, with a scope limited to three known offenders who were employees of Beaumaris Primary School. By its very nature the inquiry isn't survivor-centric, given it excludes the majority of victim/survivors, their families and communities, impacted by historic child sexual abuse in Victorian government schools.
It is difficult not to believe the Victorian Government doesn't want to learn about previously unknown perpetrators and coverups at other Victorian government schools. Given how clear the terms of reference are regarding the impossibility of the Board of Inquiry providing the Government with that information.
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The human cost of this limited scope is profound.
"Shame, secrecy and silence are the deadly trio that prolongs and abets the effects of trauma. That trio is often enacted by the abuser, the victim, and bystander - or all three." Trauma and Recovery, Judith L. Herman.
For all the other victim/survivors of child sexual abuse in Victorian government schools yet to experience healing and justice, the government is prolonging their trauma.
Any victim/survivors who contact the Board of Inquiry to share their stories, but are rejected as not being within its limited scope, will heap harm upon the harm they already live with.
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The cost of the limited timeframe is also significant.
The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse had long timeframes for submissions and applications to be made, followed by long leadup times for people to prepare themselves for the telling of their trauma stories.
This extraordinary short timeframe for submissions, and availability of private sessions, we know has already meant some organisations and people aren't able to make submissions. We worry how many people who ask for a private session, won't be afforded one.
Limiting submissions limits the veracity of the Board of Inquiry's recommendations. Limiting private sessions harms those who may yet to have shared their story, and those who have, but are yet to achieve any healing or justice.
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The budget for the Board of Inquiry matches the limited scope and timeframe.
Meaning no matter how much the Board of Inquiry Commissioner and staff may wish to expand their capacity beyond the current scope and timeframes, they are unable to do so.
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We continue to encourage all those eligible and able to participate in the Board of Inquiry to do so, via the following website.
https://www.beaumarisinquiry.vic.gov.au/
We have been fielding questions about who the three perpetrators are, from people wondering if they are eligible to make submissions. Stuart Grimley named them, and others, in Parliament last year, you can view his speech via the following link.
We will continue to communicate our concerns about the very limited scope, time and budget of the Board of Inquiry with the Victorian Government.
We stand with all victim/survivors of child sexual abuse.