Investigations into child sexual abuse in Tasmania’s public institutions focus on the island’s education system and investigate previous investigations that found perpetrators protected.
The investigative commission, which is scrutinizing how successive state governments have dealt with allegations of abuse, is holding a second week hearing in Hobart.
The investigation was called in November 2020 after allegations of child sexual abuse against nurse James Jeffrey Griffin and other state officials became publicly known.
An independent study of the state’s education system, conducted prior to the announcement of the investigative commission, found that complaints from students in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s were routinely distracted or ignored. I did.
Report authors Stephen Smallborn, a professor of criminology, and Tim McCormack, a professor of law, will submit evidence on Monday, as will clinical leaders in Tasmania’s childhood and adolescent mental health services.
The report found that alleged or known sexual abusers were protected and that “concerns, complaints, and ineffective responses were literally piled up.”
“We see many examples of parents and other people, including teachers and principals, and the decision (education department) to actively but ultimately transfer known abusers to new schools. I opposed it, “it read.
Due to various legal obstacles, only the results of the investigation and recommendations have been published by the government.
All 20 recommendations, including better student protection policies and records management, have been adopted.
Last week’s investigative commission heard from a mother who said she was “shrugged” about how Griffin improperly touched her daughter at Launceston General Hospital.
Griffin died of suicide in late 2019 after being charged with sexually abused children.
The inquiry will be held for a 6-week hearing and the final report will be submitted by May 2023.
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Australian Associated Press is an Australian news agency.