SEXUAL ABUSE CLAIMS

Sexual Assault

Victims Support Schemes In Australia, each State will have available a victims support scheme which aims to provide counselling, limited financial assistance and recognition payments for victims of violent crime. Note that generally, any applications for financial assistance will need to be made within 2 years of the sexual abuse taking place, due to time limits in each State. It is therefore important to act quickly, as these time limits will impact your ability to access the help that is available. For a free and confidential consultation on whether you may be entitled to access assistance under the victims support scheme available in your State, please do not hesitate to reach out to our personal injury lawyers, who can advise you on the claims process and refer you to the most appropriate support services. In NSW, survivors of sexual abuse can contact the Victims Services division of the Department of Communities and Justice to seek assistance from the victim support scheme. In NSW, sex abuse survivors are entitled to the following (subject to time limits for any financial assistance):  1. 22 hours of free counselling, with the option for more where required;

1. Financial assistance to meet immediate needs of victims of sexual abuse, up to $5,000 to assist with any urgent expenses;
2. Ongoing financial assistance to help with any economic losses or out-of-pocket expenses incurred as a result of the sexual assault (including lost earnings, medical expenses, justice-related expenses and compensation for lost or damaged items such as clothing).
3. Recognition payments – these are designed to recognise the trauma of the survivor of sexual abuse, and range from $1,500 to $15,000.

Similar schemes also exist in Victoria, Queensland and other Australian states. For a confidential discussion with our legal team on whether you may be entitled to seek support from a victims support service, please contact our expert personal injury lawyers about how you can seek assistance with your sexual abuse claim in your jurisdiction.

National Redress Scheme

The Royal Commission uncovered systemic historical child sex abuse being perpetrated in a range of institutional contexts across Australia, including sporting clubs, schools, and the Catholic church. The Royal Commission recommended the National Redress Scheme as a way of acknowledging the extent of sex abuse committed in these institutions, to recognise the suffering faced by those survivors of child sex abuse, and to hold those institutions accountable for those entrusted with caring for often vulnerable young Australians. The National Redress Scheme is available to victims of child sex abuse, and has two main support services available:

1. Processing applications for compensation claims from claimants who have suffered as a victim of child sex abuse; and
2. Providing Redress Support Services – aimed at providing “free, confidential emotional support and legal and financial counselling for people thinking about or applying for the Scheme.”

The National Redress Scheme is open for applicants until 30 June 2027. Contact our expert legal team today, to discuss whether the National Redress Scheme might be available and suitable to your matter. If you have suffered from the effects of child sexual abuse, our personal injury lawyers are well-equipped to provide honest, confidential and caring legal advice about how the Scheme might help you.

Civil Litigation

Survivors of sexual abuse can also choose to make a civil claim against the perpetrator of sexual abuse, and pursue a compensation claim through the Courts. This is a more complex, time-consuming and costly legal process, however does allow abuse survivors to make a legal claim either against an individual or against the institution employing an individual who commits sex abuse. For victims of sexual abuse who want compensation for the sexual abuse they have suffered, making a civil claim is often the best way of obtaining the most fruitful outcome. In order to pursue a civil claim, it is critical that you obtain sound legal advice and representation to ensure the best outcome for you. Given the emotional stress involved in civil litigation and the often complex legal processes required to determine civil claims, representation is vital to ensure that you are well-equipped to receive the compensation you deserve. In addition, limitation periods applicable in each Australian jurisdiction mean that time limits apply to making of civil claims for personal injury, including physical abuse and sexual abuse. While civil litigation can be a costly method of seeking compensation, many civil claims are resolved through settlement negotiation, prior to the matter being heard in Court. Our expert legal team is available to guide you through this process, to represent you in any correspondence and negotiations, and to fight for your right to any compensation to which you are entitled. Our personal injury lawyers are experienced in managing the civil claims process, including representing you in any settlement negotiations and in civil litigation, where settlement negotiations fail.