Abused as a child

There’s no time limit in Australia for making a historical abuse claim for historical sexual abuse. This means that you may make a civil abuse claim decades after your childhood sexual abuse occurred.

If you’re a survivor of historical sexual abuse in an institution, you can seek institutional abuse compensation even if your abuser has died.  

Australia’s Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse found that adult survivors of child abuse take an average of 24 years to tell someone of their abuse. Your abuser may have died since your historical sexual abuse, but you can still claim institution abuse compensation. The High Court has confirmed that a perpetrator’s death is no reason for historical abuse claims to be put on hold.

It’s possible to represent yourself for your historical abuse claim. However, at a challenging time, expert, compassionate institutional abuse lawyers and mental health support team members are invaluable. They have the knowledge, compassion and empathy to help guide your historical abuse claim and support you.

The National Redress Scheme is available if you were: 

• Abused as a child 

• Involved with an institution taking part in the National Redress Scheme 

Understanding your legal options before applying for the National Redress Scheme is important. This advice can be provided for free by contacting Knowmore, an independent legal service provider.

Note that if you’ve accepted a payment from the National Redress Scheme already, you can’t then make a civil abuse compensation claim.