Personal Injury

Is the National Redress Scheme Working for Victims of Institutional Child Sexual Abuse?

At this point in time the answer is quite possibly no.

It was reported by Miki Perkins, writing for the Sydney Morning Herald, that at least 10 applicants for the Redress Scheme sadly passed away before they were paid as they were not processed in time.  The backlog appears to remain, and many just wait for an offer to be made.  Even then, the top capped amount for compensation remains at $150,000 for the most egregious of assaults.  No matter what anyone says, this is in so many cases, just plain insulting; particularly as most Redress Scheme payouts, even for heinous crimes, are likely to be half that amount.

There are those for whom this opportunity of a claim on the Redress Scheme is a viable alternative to lodging a legal claim against the institution involved. This is particularly so when the institution no longer exists.

The other side of the coin of course, is that having a team to guide you through the process to seek just compensation for a life stolen by those who were trusted to care from them, can be cathartic.  It is not just you alone, it is having those that deal with it every day stand in your corner and fight hard for real redress.