Hundreds of Victorian schools facing historic child sex abuse claims

About 500 former students could potentially claim up to $1bn in compensation as more than 300 Victorian schools face historic sexual abuse claims. See the full list here.

More than one in ten Victorian schools is now under investigation for historic sexual abuse, with more than 500 former students potentially claiming up to one billion dollars in compensation.

One law firm, Arnold Thomas & Becker, is investigating historical abuse allegations on behalf of more than 470 students from over 300 Victorian -schools. This represents more than 10 per cent of the 2290 schools across Victoria.

Since the Herald Sun last reported on the firm back in September 2023 — when it was investigating claims from 260 former students from 180 schools — hundreds more students have come forward.

The claims include 18 from Brighton Grammar, 18 from the former Christian Brothers College, 12 from Rosebud High and 12 from St Patrick’s College in Ballarat.

There are seven from Cathedral College in Wangaratta and Geelong Grammar and six from De La Salle College and St Joseph’s College in Geelong.

Brighton Grammar has been accused of having a cover-up culture.

Many more students from both private and public schools are seeking compensation through other firms.

Kim Price, head of Arnold Thomas & Becker’s institutional abuse practice, said his firm received “hundreds of calls each month, hearing of the pervasive abuse of students over decades in both private and state-run schools.

“The more people hear of the experiences of others, or find out that there was a pedophile in their school, the more they speak out.”

The claims cover abuse that has occurred in the past ten years as well as past decades.

In recent years courts have set aside low settlements of up to $150,000 and issued compensation for loss and suffering of millions of dollars.

This includes a $2.7m settlement – believed to be the state’s highest – issued last month to the son of a former prison warden who was sexually abused as a ten-year-old by a prisoner at Beechworth Prison in the early 1970s.

Settlements and court-ordered payments are set to skyrocket, with one former student from Xavier College now seeking more than $5m.

It comes as the Victorian government was criticised for failing to keep children safe in the 1960s and 1970s at schools such as Beaumaris Primary where four pedophiles preyed on young students. A board of inquiry concluded that the government for decades “prioritised the reputation of the education system over the safety of children”. 

Mr Price said the inquiry had only “scratched the surface”.

‘Butch’, was abused by a prisoner at Beechworth Training Prison in the 1970’s. Picture: Supplied

“The staggering number of people coming forward demonstrates the inherent failures of our Education Department to put in place systems and policies within Victorian schools to enable the notification and prevention of sexual and physical abuse,” he said.

He questioned the inquiry’s recommendation of calling for victim-survivors at government schools prior to 2000.

“We have cases that are happening this century, not just historic cases – some survivors have come forward with allegations of abuse which occurred in the last five to 10 years,” Mr Price said.

“Our clients have endured severe sexual, physical and psychological abuse throughout their formative years that had a profound impact on them for the rest of their lives” he said.

A spokeswoman for Melbourne Archdiocese Catholic Schools (MACS) said the organisation, which operates around 300 schools, “takes the safety and wellbeing of children extremely seriously”.

“We encourage any current or former student of a MACS school who may have experienced any form of abuse to report it, and to come forward and share their experiences,” she said.

The state government has been criticised for failing to keep children safe in the 1960s and 1970s at schools such as Beaumaris Primary. Picture: Ian Currie

A Victorian government spokeswoman said: “Understanding the courage it takes, we encourage all victim-survivors to report historical sexual abuse. No one should suffer the harrowing, lifelong and devastating impacts of abuse.”

“Recognising how badly sexual abuse allegations were handled in the past, we have made fundamental changes to the way we respond to cases of historical sexual abuse in our schools and will do all we can to ensure victim-survivors get the support they need,” she said.

“We are making sure the voices of all victim-survivors of historical abuse in government schools are heard, that their experiences are reflected on the public record and that they are supported in their healing.”