Nearly 400 Victorians taking legal action over alleged abuse at more than 200 schools

Nearly 400 Victorians are taking legal action over alleged abuse suffered at more than 200 state and private schools, prompting calls for a full statewide inquiry.
 
Nearly 100 more people have lodged claims with Arnold Thomas & Becker Lawyers in the past six months, now covering more than one in 10 schools across the state.
 
Claims include abuse which allegedly took place as recently as 2019, with allegations against some perpetrators covering more than two decades.
 
Arnold Thomas & Becker head of abuse practice Kim Price said the government “can longer turn a blind eye to the number of allegations which continue to be made”.
 
“It’s time the government formally called for the appointment of a parliamentary committee to prove the systematic sexual abuse of children in Victorian schools”.
 
He said some “schools failed to follow up on allegations, and in a number of cases, sought to cover up reports of abuse”.
 
“We have also come across numerous instances where pedophile teachers in the state school system were moved between schools in an attempt to hide any issues,” Mr Price said.

Read more about this media story.

Contact us

As a leading Australian Abuse firm, we have helped hundreds of brave abuse survivors obtain compensation for physical, psychological and sexual abuse in intuitional settings. Money can’t take the pain away, however, it can help achieve clarity and closure. We have extensive experience in obtaining ground-breaking multi-million dollar payments for our clients. Visit our Institutional Abuse page for more information or call us on 03 9034 8433.

 

Get in touch

Testimonials

I’d been living the dream my entire life and it all came crashing down. When I was faced with a legal issue, I didn’t know where to start as far as making a claim. I saw an ad on TV saying give “Arnold Thomas & Becker a call…” so I did. 

After speaking with Lee Flanagan and listening to his knowledge of law, I felt at ease as he understood my situation and my occupation as a Professional Athlete.  I decided then and there this was the right law firm for me.

The fact that Lee was also a surfer and understood how I earned an income from surfing made all the difference.  

 My lawyers Lee Flanagan and Aki Munir are experts in their field and they certainly proved that.  Their legal assistant Lucy Maher was always on the ball and kept me informed throughout my claim.

 Initially I had approached another well-known law firm (who I was told were the best), but they just didn’t get it.  

I’m so grateful to the Arnold Thomas & Becker team – they achieved an incredible outcome for me.  I’m relieved to put all this behind me and start my life again.

Ross Clarke-Jones – Big Wave Surfer 

Ross Clarke-Jones - Big Wave Surfer