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Gerald Ridsdale, a former clergy member, has been associated with serious allegations spanning several decades. Ridsdlae now faces 62 additional charges linked to historical institutional child sexual abuse, bringing attention once again to his extensive criminal record.

The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse cast a revealing light on a series of troubling incidents at Marist College Ashgrove, a notable private school in Brisbane, Queensland.

Over 50 years ago, a Sydney court convicted and sentenced Brother John Patrick O’Brien for his crimes against boys at St Joseph’s College.

Father Perrett’s first conviction in 1996 for child sexual abuse underscored a systemic failure to protect the innocent. With over 100 charges pending, his death in 2020 halted further legal action, leaving many victims without the closure of a trial.

Between 2003 and 2008, Cameron Tweeddale Smith, a former employee at Brighton Grammar School in Melbourne, was accused of abusing his position to harm students. These allegations, which resulted in legal charges, underline the gravity of the betrayal and the need for institutional accountability.

Financial abuse is a form of domestic violence that can significantly impact family law matters, including divorce and separation, in Australia. It involves controlling a person’s ability to acquire, use, and maintain financial resources, thereby trapping the victim in a situation of dependency and undermining their autonomy.

Under new Industrial Relations laws, the determination of whether a worker qualifies as an “employee” hinges on the real substance and practical reality of the relationship between the involved parties.

Koffels are seeking former students from Ballarat & Queens who may have information about historical child sexual abuse incidents between 1985 and 1995.

In cases where the perpetrator of child abuse is dead, the path to legal redress is fraught with challenges and requires a nuanced approach – but the path does exist.