School Sexual Abuse Lawyers

Arnold Thomas & Becker is currently running over 400 civil claims against Victorian schools for historical child sexual abuse, which involves action against more than 250 schools across the state.

These cases relate to Victorian educational settings across public, religious and other independent schools, including primary and secondary schools and specialist schools.

This is in addition to many cases that we have already settled. 

The large number of people coming forward was initially influenced from increased disclosures following the royal commission into institutional response into child sexual abuse, but has increased in recent years as more and more people are standing up for themselves and demanding to be heard.

Kim Price, head of Arnold Thomas & Becker’s abuse practice says, “I don’t believe we’ve seen the true number as yet. From my experience in dealing with survivors of abuse we know that many don’t report it, and if they do it can be years or even decades later. When first hear about abuse at a school, our investigations often reveal there are multiple victims of a single predator – we think there are a lot more out there that we still don’t know about.”

School should be a place where children feel safe. Unfortunately, for thousands of Australian students, this has not been the case. Instead, we are hearing from students from across the country that they have been subjected to sexual abuse by teachers and other members of school staff.

We are working on cases from as far back as the 1960s and as recently as this decade. The number of cases we have handled against schools makes us one of Australia’s most experienced school abuse lawyers. We have represented thousands of survivors and have detailed information about the schools, teachers and staff involved in current and former claims and can call on a large number of witnesses who can help to validate new claims.

If you have suffered abuse in an Australian school, we are here to listen to you and advise you on your rights. You many be eligible for compensation, which could be in the millions. 

Before entering a class action, seek independent legal advice as it may not be in your best interests.

A reminder about the National Redress Scheme

We also remind survivors to make certain that they seek legal advice before considering the National Redress Scheme, which is likely to provide inadequate compensation. Cases through the National Redress Scheme are capped at $150,000 and we have obtained over $2M for some of our clients.

Arnold Thomas & Becker have launched a class action for survivors of institutional sexual abuse who received compensation from the National Redress Scheme for Institutional Child Sexual Abuse and were advised by Knowmore Legal Service. For more information, visit our Knowmore Class Action page.

How to make a claim

The first step is to contact us.  You can do this via our online form below, or by contacting us on social media or on the phone. Any information you share with us will be treated as confidential.

Take a stand against abuse and talk to an abuse lawyer today on 1300 333 300.

Schools we have investigated/are investigating

 

Apollo Bay High School

Aquinas Boys College in Ringwood (Christian Brothers and Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools)

Ardeer High School (State of Victoria)

Avondale Heights Primary

Bairnsdale West Primary

Ballam Park Technical School

Ballarat Clarendon College (Formally Ballarat College)

Ballarat Grammar

Bandiana Primary School

Barwon Downs Primary School

Bayside Christian College

Bayswater Primary School

Beaumaris Primary School (VIC)

Bell Park High School

Bendigo Violet Street Primary School

Berengarra School

Boronia Heights Primary School

Box Hill Primary School

Brighton Grammar

Broadmeadows High School

Brunswick High School

Brunswick West Primary School

Burwood East Primary School

Cathedral College, Melbourne

Catherine McAuley College (VIC)

Catholic Regional College, St Albans

Caulfield High School, Caulfield

Chisolm Christian College

Christian Brother’s College

Christian Brothers Parade College

Christian Brothers School

Clayton North Primary School

Coatesville Primary School

Coburg High School

Coburg Technical School

Cowra High School

Craigieburn Primary School

Dandenong Primary School

Darley Primary School

De La Salle College

Debney Meadows Primary School

Derinya Primary School

Dominic early learning Centre

Drummond St Primary School & St Patrick’s College

Drysdale Primary School

Eaglehawk Primary School

East Ringwood Primary School

Emerald Secondary College

Emmaus College

Essendon Grammar

Fawkner Technical School

Footscray Primary School

Footscray West Primary School

Foster High School, Foster

Geelong Christian College

Geelong College

Geelong Grammar School

Gippsland Grammar School

Glendonald School for the Deaf

Glenroy College

Goodwood Primary School

Goulburn Valley Grammar School

Grey St Primary School Traralgon

Haig Street Primary School, Heidelberg West

Haileybury

Hallam Primary School

Hawkesdale Secondary College

Heidelberg Primary School

Hernes Oark Primary School

Holy Child Primary School, Dallas

Holy Family, Doveton

Holy Rosary School

Jordanville Technical School

Kardinia International College

Kingston Primary School

La Trobe Regional Special School

Lavalla Catholic College

Lilydale High School

Lilydale Primary Schoolha

Lyndhurst Secondary School (VIC)

MacLeod High School

Maffra Secondary

Maidstone Primary School

Mansfield Secondary College

Maranatha Christian School

Marcelin Junior School

Marist Brothers Maitland

Marist Brother’s School Bendigo

Marist Sion College

Maroondah High School

Mazenod Boys College

Melbourne Grammar School

Melrose Primary School

Mentone Grammar School (VIC)

Mercy Regional College

Merri Primary School

Moe High School

Moe Regional College

Monivae College, Hamilton

Monterey High School

Moomba Park Primary School

Mount Clear State Primary School (VIC)

Mountain Gate Primary School

Mt Beauty High School & Mt Waverly High School

Mullauna College, Mitcham

Myrniong Primary

Nayook State School

Nelson Park School

Northcote Farm

Northside Christian College

Oakleigh High School

Oakleigh Primary School

Ormond East Primary School, Ormond

Osborne Primary School, Mount Martha &  Mornington High School, Mornington

Our Lady for Helpful Christians, Ballarat

Parade College, Bundoora

Parade College; St Vincent’s College Bendigo

Parade Preparatory College, Alphington

Parade Prepatory College

Patrician Brothers College, Fairfield

Peninsula Grammar

Pyalong State School

Research Primary School

Rosebud High School

Rupertswood College

Sacred Heart College, Oakleigh

Sacred Heart Primary School

Sacred Heart, Fitzroy

Sacred Heart, Shepparton

Salesian College ‘Rupertswood’, Sunbury

Salesian College, Sunbury

Salesians College in Sunbury (Salesians of Don Bosco)

Samaritan Catholic College (VIC)

Sandringham Secondary College

Sandringham Technical School

Santa Maria College, Northcote

Scotch College

Spotswood Primary School (VIC)

Springview Primary

St Alipius Primary School, Ballarat East AND St Patrick’s College, Ballarat

St Anthony’s Primary School, Glen Huntly

St Augustines

St Augustine’s School in Yarraville (Archdiocese)

St Bernards College

St Brigids Primary School

St Columbus College

St Francis of Assisi Primary School, Mill Park

St Gerard’s Primary School, Dandenong

St James’ Primary School in Brighton (Archdiocese and Presentation Sisters)

St John’s College, Braybrook

St John’s College, Dandenong

St Joseph’s College, Geelong

St Joseph’s Junior College, Pasco Vale

St Joseph’s Primary – Boronia

St Joseph’s School, Wonthaggi & Wonthaggi Technical School, Wonthaggi

St Joseph’s College Newtown

St Joseph’s College, Geelong

St Joseph’s College, Mildura

St Joseph’s College, Warragul

St Joseph’s Geelong

St Joseph’s Primary School, Trafalgar

St Joseph’s Primary School, Warragul

St Joseph’s Sebastopol; St Patrick’s College Ballarat

St Joseph’s, Geelong

St Joseph’s, Pascoe Vale

St Kevins

St Kilian’s Primary School

St Leo’s College

St Leo’s College, Box Hill

St Mary Magdalene Primary, Jordanville

St Mary’s Primary School Myrtleford (Catholic Diocese of Sandhurst)

St Mary’s Primary School, Ararat

St Mary’s Primary School, Sale

St Mary’s Technical College (Christian Brothers)

St Mary’s Thornbury & Trinity Catholic Secondary, Brunswick

St Patrick’s College in Ballarat (Christian Brothers)

St Patrick’s, Sale

St Paul’s Catholic Secondary College, Traralgon

St Paul’s College, Altona North

St Paul’s Technical School College in Ballarat (Christian Brothers)

St Paul’s, Traralgon

St Pius Parish School, Warrnambool and Christian Brothers College, Warrnambool

St Thomas Moore College

St Vincent’s Boys’ Home

St Vincent’s College, Bendigo and St Kevin’s College, Toorak

Star of the Sea College (VIC)

Studfield East Primary School

Sunbury Salesian College

Sunshine Technical School

Surrey Hills Primary School

Templestowe College (State of Victoria)

Templestowe High

Terang Primary

Therry College

Thomastown Primary School

Timbarra P-9 College

Toorak College

Trinity Grammar School

Trinity Regional College (VIC)

Tucker Rd Primary School, Moorabbin

University High School

Wanganui Secondary College

Warburton Adventist School

Warrnambool North Technical School

Warrnambool West Primary School

Watsonia Heights Primary School

Wesley College

Westall State Primary School

Whitefriars College (Whitefriars College Inc)

Whitefriars College Donvale (VIC)

Winnaleah District High School

Wodonga High School

Xavier College

Yackandandah Primary School

Yea Secondary