National Redress Scheme

What is child sexual abuse?

Child sexual abuse is when a person younger than 18 is included in or shown sexual acts:

• they don’t understand
• the community thinks are wrong
• that are against the law.

Child sexual abuse includes:

• sexual touching of any part of the body, with or without clothes, including with an object
• sex of any kind with a child
• showing a child sexual acts.

Child sexual abuse is:

• wrong
• a crime
• never the child’s fault.

What is the National Redress Scheme?

The National Redress Scheme:

• started on 1 July 2018
• will run for 10 years
• will end in 2028.
• Redress is a way of trying to make things right.

The National Redress Scheme is a way to support people who experienced child sexual abuse:

• by an institution
• while an institution was supposed to be looking after them.

What can the National Redress Scheme do?

National Redress Scheme can offer you 3 things:

• counselling - talking to someone about how you think and feel.
  
  This can help you
  • reach goals
  • feel safe
  • learn skill
  • understand what happened to you

• a payment
  
  When you get a payment, you are given some money.

• a direct personal response.
  
  A direct personal response means the institution will say sorry for the child sexual abuse that happened to you.

You do not have to have counselling, a payment or a direct personal response. It is your choice.

What is an institution?

An institution is a group or organisation set up:

• by the government
• for a religion
• for teaching and learning
• to run a business
• for a social activity
• for sporting activities.

Autism Spectrum Australia (Aspect) is an institution.

Aspect joined the National Redress Scheme on 4 February 2020.

Aspect wants to support you if you are a survivor of child sexual abuse.

You can learn more about the National Redress Scheme on their website page for Easy Read Fact Sheets.

You can also call the National Redress Scheme on 1800 737 377.