Two information sessions will be held in Stawell tomorrow for people with disability and other community members affected by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
The national disability representative and advocacy organisation People with Disability Australia (PWDA) will present the sessions, which will give community members an overview of the Royal Commission and explain how PWDA can support people.
“At the information sessions we will outline how we can support people with disability, their friends, family members, staff working in disability organisations, ex-staff and whistleblowers to speak up about abuse they have experienced or witnessed,” PWDA Co-Chief Executive Officer Matthew Bowden said.
“Each session is being presented as part of PWDA’s Disability Support for the Royal Commission Project, which offers individual advocacy support to people with disability, and training for people with disability, parents, carers and disability service providers. We are also supporting the work of the Royal Commission with policy work and research.”
Mr Bowden said PWDA has been funded by the Department of Social Services to support the work of the Royal Commission.
“We are here to help children, young people and adults with disability to participate in the Royal Commission,” he said.
“We want to make sure that both children and adults with disability can tell their stories of child sexual abuse, if they want to. We also want to ensure that whistleblowers, including staff and ex-staff of organisations where child sexual abuse has occurred, know that we can make sure their story can be told confidentially.
“We want to make sure that the experiences of children with disability who have been sexually abused in mainstream institutions are included.
“We also want to make sure that the experiences of children with disability who have been sexually abused in the kinds of institutions that are usually only for people with disability are included in the Royal Commission. This includes places like respite centres, day centres, large residential centres, group homes, hospitals, psychiatric institutions, special schools and children's homes.”
The 90 minute information sessions will be held at 2pm and 6.30pm tomorrow in the Diamond Room at Stawell Health and Community Centre on Patrick Street.
