What is child sexual abuse?
Child sexual abuse is when a person younger than 18 is included in or shown sexual acts:
- they don’t understand
- the community thinks are wrong
- that are against the law.
Child sexual abuse includes:
- sexual touching of any part of the body, with or without clothes, including with an object
- sex of any kind with a child
- showing a child sexual acts.
Child sexual abuse is:
- wrong
- a crime
- never the child’s fault.
What is the National Redress Scheme?
The National Redress Scheme:
- started on 1 July 2018
- will run for 10 years
- will end in 2028.
- Redress is a way of trying to make things right.
The National Redress Scheme is a way to support people who experienced child sexual abuse:
- by an institution
- while an institution was supposed to be looking after them.
What can the National Redress Scheme do?
National Redress Scheme can offer you 3 things:
- counselling - talking to someone about how you think and feel.
This can help you- reach goals
- feel safe
- learn skill
- understand what happened to you
- a payment
When you get a payment, you are given some money.
- a direct personal response.
A direct personal response means the institution will say sorry for the child sexual abuse that happened to you.
You do not have to have counselling, a payment or a direct personal response. It is your choice.
What is an institution?
An institution is a group or organisation set up:
- by the government
- for a religion
- for teaching and learning
- to run a business
- for a social activity
- for sporting activities.
Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect) is an institution.
Aspect joined the National Redress Scheme on 4 February 2020.
Aspect wants to support you if you are a survivor of child sexual abuse.