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New resource to assist in apologising to victim-survivors

May 28 2025

A genuine apology from organisations responsible for abuse is important for many survivors to achieve a sense of justice and recognition.

Recommendation 17.4 of the Commission of Inquiry into the Tasmanian Government's Responses to Child Sexual Abuse in Institutional Settings highlights the need for Tasmanian Government departments to ensure individual victim-survivors of child sexual abuse who request an apology, receive one.

Recommendation 17.4 also says that proactive steps should be taken to offer an apology to victim-survivors who make contact in relation to their abuse.

In response to this recommendation, the Department of Justice has recently published Apologising to victim-survivors of institutional child sexual abuse: A resource for senior representatives of Tasmanian Government institutions.

This resource is primarily aimed at senior representatives of Tasmanian Government agencies and supports them to deliver meaningful, trauma-informed apologies to victim-survivors of child sexual abuse.

The resource has been informed by:

  • existing national guidance
  • expertise shared by victim-survivors of institutional child sexual abuse
  • feedback from senior institutional representatives with experience of participating in apology processes.

The resource describes how trauma-informed principles apply to apologies made to victim-survivors in both unplanned and immediate contexts, as well as more formal, structured apology processes.

In whichever form they take, apologies serve as a powerful illustration of the organisation's character. Those that respond sensitively to victim-survivors are doing their part to uphold and model an empathetic and humane organisational culture.

The resource will be reviewed and updated as appropriate into the future to reflect ongoing research and experiences.