Yesterday the Victorian Government responded to the Beaumaris Board of Inquiry Report. "In its response, the Victorian Government has accepted all 9 recommendations, either in full or in principle, made by the Inquiry and dedicated $48.29 million to progress the vital work. The Victorian Government is committed to meaningful consultation with victim-survivors, their families, supporters and affected communities as a key feature underpinning successful implementation of the recommendations. A stakeholder engagement process will be established, with further updates shortly."
The recommendations are:
- Recommendation 1: Issue a statewide public apology in Parliament.
- Recommendation 2: Create a memorial for Beaumaris Primary School and consistent policy guidance and processes on memorials for other government schools.
- Recommendation 3: Establish a statewide independent truth-telling and accountability process.
- Recommendation 4: Introduce a restorative engagement program for adult victim-survivors of child sexual abuse in government schools outside of civil litigation and Redress Scheme processes.
- Recommendation 5: Improve information access through trauma-informed practices for responding to requests for information and improved records management.
- Recommendation 6: Implement website and telephone line information and assistance for victim-survivors of child sexual abuse in government schools.
- Recommendation 7: Pilot a coordination, navigation, and advocacy support function for adult victim-survivors of child sexual abuse in schools.
- Recommendation 8: Implement a targeted program of work to improve service responses, including a formal peer support program, consistent service prioritisation, and promotion.
- Recommendation 9: Legislative reform to ensure the enduring protection of personal information provided to boards of inquiry.
We agree with Sexual Assault Services Victoria response (below) to the Government's announcements yesterday.
"SASVic initial response to the Victorian Government’s response to the Beaumaris Inquiry
Today, the government released its response to the Beaumaris Board of Inquiry Report. Our admiration to the survivors who made this inquiry happen, which has led to the government today unequivocally taking responsibility for the profound failure of its schools and the Department of Education.
We welcome the announcement of two new navigator roles to support survivors through the complex support system. It is very encouraging to see the government investing in navigator roles that will make survivors' quest for justice and recovery less gruelling.
However, we're disappointed that, yet again, there is no new funding for independent specialist sexual assault services. In contrast, the Department of Education, who enabled this violence over decades, will receive millions of dollars.
While memorials and apologies can be powerful, the pain and harm of historical child sexual abuse is not something in the past. Every day, survivors come forward to sexual assault services to tell their stories for the very first time. But these life-saving services are stretched.
We acknowledge the courage of survivors whose testimony to the inquiry showed that there is real need for systemic change."
https://www.sasvic.org.au/news/beaumaris-government-response
We agree that truth telling, memorials and apologies can be and are powerful, but these do not erase nor prevent a lifetime of pain and suffering, as a victim of historical child sexual abuse.
Where is the government's investment in existing services, and new services that various commissions have recommended, that the Victorian government has failed to implement?
Like Recommendation 9.1 of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse our petition is asking the Victoria Government to pilot in Bayside Melbourne and the greater Ballarat region of Victoria. Which could utilise the minimum services standards the National Centre for Action on Child Abuse developed based on extensive stakeholder engagement.
It is astounding that the Victorian Government's respond to the Board of Inquiry's Recommendation 8: "Implement a targeted program of work to improve service responses, including a formal peer support program, consistent service prioritisation, and promotion. " is to start from scratch. Ignoring years of research, knowledge and work already completed and available.
Where is the government's focus on healing and justice? Acknowledging that justice is an important part of healing, that should follow truth telling.
Why can't the Department of Education come forward with its knowledge of offending teachers that were moved from school to school, harming countless children? Rather than survivors having to relive their trauma?
We know that truth-telling is a big burden to put on survivors when, potentially, nothing will come from that. Many survivors have had difficult journeys through the legal system, and it can add to existing trauma.
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The next Victorian Survivors and Supporters lunch as on Wednesday, 17th July, at the Sandringham Hotel, from 12 noon - 1,30 pmish. This is a special lunch, with Zoe Daniel MP in attendance, as the Federal representative for the Beaumaris / greater bayside electorate of Goldstein. It will include a facilitated conversation "what do you want to see happen." More details to follow in a future post. You can also find more information on our Facebook page via the following event link.
https://www.facebook.com/share/Kq1SbAZHCZBCqx2A/
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Our governments have failed to act on recommendatiions that would improve the lives of survivors of child sexual abuse, their families and their communities. Thank you for helping us change that.