The
Tuart Times
ISSUE 17: FEB 2019 ISSN: 2204-7646
Photo: The West Australian
A NATIONAL APOLOGY
Survivor and FACT Vice-Chairperson Dale Lynch at the National Apology in Canberra
Hundreds of survivors journeyed from across Australia to be present on 22 October 2018 when the Australian parliament apologised to victims of institutional child sexual abuse. It was intense and emotionally draining for those who witnessed apologies by the current Prime Minister and Leader of the Opposition. Survivors listened in silence, sometimes interrupted with angry cries from people in the crowd - faces etched with pain. They roared with approval when former Prime Minister Julia Gillard took the stage. No two people seemed to have the same view that day of what it meant to them. Some boycotted it – for them it was meaningless, or a travesty that only sexual abuse was acknowledged - just nine years after a different set of national leaders stood in the same place and acknowledged the multiple forms of harm experienced by children in institutional care. For others it was a moment of truth and triumph – an official, public
acknowledgement of their trauma and pain – affirmation that they were not the only ones; that many, many other children had also been sexually abused in institutions. That the abuse was not their fault. Other people voiced mixed feelings about the Apology. For survivor Dale Lynch, it brought some sense of resolution. He had a chance to shake Julia Gillard’s hand and thank her personally for the Royal Commission. Dale was glad that Opposition Leader Bill Shorten mentioned the plight of survivors who had not been sexually mistreated but had fallen victim to violence or emotional abuse. While people will continue to hold different views on the National Apology, it has clearly raised public awareness about child sexual abuse and its devastating impacts. It is also clear that the Royal Commission prompted reforms that will decrease the chances of today’s children being abused in care. It has
also improved the way that institutions respond to survivors of historic abuse. It has reduced stigma and, we hope, made it easier for survivors to talk about sexual abuse, and get help.
In this edition: 2 – Make Redress Right 3 – National Redress Scheme Free information session 4 – Aged care education 5 – Home Stretch Campaign update 6 – Stolen Generations consultation 8 – News for former child migrants 10 – New people at Tuart Place 11 – New faces on the FACT Board 12-13 – Scotland the Brave 15 – Social Activities Group news 16-19 – What’s on at Tuart Place 20 – Tuart Place contact details
