Australia PM will make national apology to sex abuse victims

The apology will be made to abuse survivors, victims and their families on Oct. 22 after public consultations. Turnbull said Wednesday that Australia must “do everything in our power to honour the bravery of the thousands of people who came forward.”(Photo: Malcolm Turnbull/Facebook)

SYDNEY, Australia – Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull will deliver a national apology to child sex abuse victims in the government’s response to a long-running inquiry that has heard allegations against many government and private institutions and prominent individuals through five years of hearings.

The apology will be made to abuse survivors, victims and their families on Oct. 22 after public consultations. Turnbull said Wednesday that Australia must “do everything in our power to honour the bravery of the thousands of people who came forward.”

Turnbull’s government will adopt 104 of the 122 recommendations made to it by the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse. One of the proposals being adopted establishes a national office for child safety, another involves joining a redress payments program.

Other recommendations are under consideration.