Did you know that over the past two decades there have been more than 60 public apologies for the abuse, neglect, and other forms of maltreatment of children in Australia’s orphanages, children’s Homes, missions, and foster ‘care’?
Professor Kathleen Daly lists 60 of them that relate to the Australian redress cases she deals with in her book Redressing Institutional Abuse of Children (London: Palgrave Macmillan 2014, pp. 237-246).
We can probably all add to Kathy’s list (e.g. off the top of my head I can include Ballarat Child & Family Services, Melbourne City Mission, Berry Street, and the University of Melbourne – the last being for the unauthorised medical experiments on children in Care).
The National Redress Scheme has – as one element along with monetary payments and counselling – a Direct Personal Response which (if you want it) can include a direct apology from a senior member of the institution where you were sexually abused. There is no such personal apology for those who are not eligible for this Redress scheme.