Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Explaining the Letters Patent and Terms of Reference This document explains the Letters Patent and Terms of Reference for the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. the legal document from the Governor-General that gives instructions The ‘Letters Patent’ is to the Commissioners about the scope of the inquiry and what the Commissioners should investigate and make recommendations on. The Letters Patent also formally appoint the Commissioners. The full Letters Patent document is available at . This explanation document should not be taken to in any way replace the Letters Patent document, or to have any legal standing. Why the Royal Commission has been set up Child sexual abuse is a crime, and a terrible breach of the right of every child to grow up safe and happy. Child sexual abuse is often associated with other forms of abuse including physical abuse, exploitation, and neglect. All have long-term effects on survivors and their families. There are also costs to the economy and society as a whole. Australia has committed at an international level to do everything it can to protect children from all forms of abuse. This includes taking action to help prevent child abuse from happening and, when child abuse does happen, to help ensure that cases are identified, reported, investigated, and followed up. It is recognised that public, non-government and private organisations provide important services and support to help children and their families. These include childcare, cultural, educational, religious, sporting and other organisations, which play an important role in helping children to grow up safe and happy. But it is important that laws, rules and practices are in place to ensure organisations protect children against the risk of sexual abuse and that claims of abuse and the impacts of abuse are appropriately responded to. It is important that this inquiry explore claims of systemic failures by institutions to protect children from sexual abuse and related matters. The inquiry should identify what can be done in the future to better prevent and respond to child sexual abuse, including holding perpetrators to account and providing justice to victims. People who have been affected by child sexual abuse will be able to share their experiences with the inquiry if they want to, to assist with healing and to inform the Commissioners’ recommendations.
Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse Explaining the Letters Patent and Terms of Reference This document explains the Letters Patent and Terms of Reference for the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. The ‘Letters Patent’ is the legal document from the Governor-General that gives instructions to the Commissioners about the scope of the inquiry and what the Commissioners should investigate and make recommendations on. The Letters Patent also formally appoint the Commissioners. The full Letters Patent document is available at . This explanation document should not be taken to in any way replace the Letters Patent document, or to have any legal standing. Why the Royal Commission has been set up Child sexual abuse is a crime, and a terrible breach of the right of every child to grow up safe and happy. Child sexual abuse is often associated with other forms of abuse including physical abuse, exploitation, and neglect. All have long-term effects on survivors and their families. There are also costs to the economy and society as a whole. Australia has committed at an international level to do everything it can to protect children from all forms of abuse. This includes taking action to help prevent child abuse from happening and, when child abuse does happen, to help ensure that cases are identified, reported, investigated, and followed up. It is recognised that public, non-government and private organisations provide important services and support to help children and their families. These include childcare, cultural, educational, religious, sporting and other organisations, which play an important role in helping children to grow up safe and happy. But it is important that laws, rules and practices are in place to ensure organisations protect children against the risk of sexual abuse and that claims of abuse and the impacts of abuse are appropriately responded to. It is important that this inquiry explore claims of systemic failures by institutions to protect children from sexual abuse and related matters. The inquiry should identify what can be done in the future to better prevent and respond to child sexual abuse, including holding perpetrators to account and providing justice to victims. People who have been affected by child sexual abuse will be able to share their experiences with the inquiry if they want to, to assist with healing and to inform the Commissioners’ recommendations.
explaining_the_letters_patent_and_terms_of_reference.docx