Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison delivered an emotional national apology to the survivors, victims and families of institutional child sexual abuse on Monday.
The apology follows a five year Royal Commission inquiry into child sexual abuse which delved into more than 8,000 cases of sexual misconduct largely committed at religious and state-run institutions responsible for the safety of children.
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The report called for a National Office for Child Safety and national child safety standards, child abuse reporting and record keeping, which would cover all institutions engaged in child-related work.
It is rare for the Australian government to issue a national apology, which is reserved for egregious misdeeds where the state has played a role. The apology also coincided with National Children’s Week.