RCT Law can assist survivors with claims involving school abuse and has done so for many years.
Sexual abuse by teachers, other members of school staff and peer on peer/student abuse is unfortunately common in Australia. Of all abuse survivors who had private sessions with the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse, almost one in three (31.8 per cent) told the Commissioners they were sexually abused in a school setting as children.
It is possible to take claims involving school abuse to court or to resolve them through other avenues.
The Final Report of the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse included an entire volume relating to what it learned about institutional responses to child sexual abuse in government and non-government (Catholic or Independent) primary and secondary schools.
The report examines the nature and adequacy of institutional responses and contributing factors to child sexual abuse in schools as well as making recommendations to prevent child sexual abuse from occurring in schools in the future and to help ensure effective responses to abuse where it does occur.
Which Victorian schools have abuse claims been brought against?
RCT Law is pursuing or has successfully brought civil claims for compensation (whether in court or settled out of court) in relation to a number of Victorian schools, including:
- Camberwell Grammar School
- Christian College Geelong
- Geelong College
- Geelong Grammar
- Head of Music, Malcolm John convicted of child sex offences
- Resident Doctor, Dr David Brian Mackey convicted of child sex offences
- Graham Dennis convicted of child sex offences
- John Buckley convicted of child sex offences
- Stefan Van Vuuren convicted of child sex offences
- Philippe Trutmann convicted of child sex offences
- John Harvey convicted of child sex offences
- Marcellin College
- Peninsula Grammar
- Preshil
- Scotch College
- St Alipius Primary School, Ballarat East
- Brother Robert Best convicted of child sex offences
- Brother Edward Dowlan convicted of child sex offences
- Brother Stephen Farrell convicted of child sex offences
- St Kevin’s College, Toorak
- St John’s College, Dandenong
- Father Kevin O’Donnell convicted of child sex offences
- St Gerard’s Primary School
- St Leo’s College, Box Hill
- St Matthews Primary School, North Fawkner
- St Patrick’s College, Ballarat
- St Patrick’s College, Sale
- St Paul’s College, Traralgon
- Staff member Gerard McNamara convicted of child sex offences
- St Thomas the Apostle Primary School
- Xavier College
- Staff member Willi Kovac convicted of child sex offences
- Father Celso Romanin convicted of child sex offences
