Waiting for redress: Child sexual abuse survivors' experiences of Australia's National Redress Scheme.
Child Abuse Negl
; 129: 105657, 2022 07.
Article
em En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-35500321
ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND:
Governments in multiple countries have established redress schemes to acknowledge institutional responsibility for child maltreatment; to provide survivors with access to compensation, counselling and apologies; and to prompt better practice to prevent child maltreatment. Establishing a National Redress Scheme was recommended by Australia's Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. The Scheme commenced in 2018 and will run for a decade.OBJECTIVE:
This study sought to understand the ways survivors have experienced applying for redress under the National Redress Scheme, and how Scheme processes could be improved for survivors. PARTICIPANTS ANDSETTING:
Participants were 322 survivors of child sexual abuse who had applied for redress or considered doing so during the first two years of the Scheme's operation. Two thirds (68%) were aged 55 or over and over half (55%) were men.METHODS:
To provide feedback about their experiences and perceptions of the National Redress Scheme, participants completed closed and open-ended survey questions.RESULTS:
Only a minority rated the Scheme as either good (16%) or very good (11%). Survey comments provide insight into the ways waiting has contributed to survivors' negative experiences of the Scheme. Survivors waited for the Scheme to be established, for institutions to opt-in, for decisions, and for direct personal responses. Waiting compounded uncertainty and was retraumatising for survivors. Some avoided seeking redress due to likely delays and risks of retraumatisation.CONCLUSIONS:
Australia's National Redress Scheme is an ambivalent policy innovation which can both facilitate support and exacerbate harm. The design of redress schemes should pre-emptively address their potential to generate harm, including by recognising that rapid responses are essential to procedural justice, and particularly important for older survivors of child sexual abuse.Palavras-chave
Texto completo:
1
Coleções:
01-internacional
Base de dados:
MEDLINE
Assunto principal:
Abuso Sexual na Infância
/
Maus-Tratos Infantis
Limite:
Child
/
Female
/
Humans
/
Male
País/Região como assunto:
Oceania
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Child Abuse Negl
Ano de publicação:
2022
Tipo de documento:
Article