22, Oct 2018

The Australian government has issued a formal apology to child sexual abuse victims after a five-year investigation found that multiple organisations, including governments, schools, churches, and charities, “for decades failed to keep children safe,” the Guardian reported. Prime Minister Scott Morrison spoke in the House of Representatives on Monday, October 22, with victim, survivors, families and advocates in attendance. “While we can’t be so vain to pretend to answers, we must be so humble to fall before those who were forsaken and beg to them our apology,” Morrison said, adding, “A sorry from a nation that seeks to reach out in compassion into the darkness, where you have lived for so long. Nothing we can do now will right the wrongs inflicted on our nation’s children.” He said that the “crimes of ritual sexual abuse happened in schools, churches, youth groups, scout troops, orphanages, foster homes, sporting clubs, group homes, charities, and in family homes as well”. In December 2017, the royal commission to investigate child sexual abuse, which was formed in 2013, submitted its final report, containing recommendations and statistics. The report may be read here.