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Child Sex Abuse Survivors Demand Redress Scheme For Victims

Melbourne protesters have called on the Victorian government to opt in to a national redress scheme for survivors of child sexual abuse.

During the 14 years John Lawrance spent in Victorian orphanages, he suffered shocking abuse at the hands of those who were supposed to care for him.

The 62-year-old stepped out in Melbourne on Monday to protest for the first time with a small group in the front of state parliament to highlight what he calls inaction by the Andrews government over a National Redress Scheme for survivors of child sexual abuse.

His mother died in a car accident in 1961 and his family was separated. He and his brother were put into a nuns' home before being moved around various religious institutions.

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He decided to protest after a lifetime of battling alone because he believes his 44-year-old alcoholic brother's death was the result of abuse suffered in institutions.

"What I saw in those places was atrocious. The punishments to kids, a brother tucking you in at night and putting his hands down into the bed," Mr Lawrance told AAP.

"You've got a kid in the next bed saying, 'Please sir, don't do that'. The next minute you might hear a door opening and see a kid going in.

"You hold that in your head for a lifetime. You can never get rid of that."

Locked behind the walls of institutions, Mr Lawrance said he knew little of the outside world.

When he finally got out he was lost and attempted suicide before finding a path forward with music and starting a band, singing about his struggles.

An abuse victim stands outside the venue for Australia's Royal Commission into Institutional Response to Child Sexual Abuse in March.
David Gray / Reuters
An abuse victim stands outside the venue for Australia's Royal Commission into Institutional Response to Child Sexual Abuse in March.

The Care Leavers Australasia Network, which organised Monday's action, said the the federal government's opt-in national scheme "has given institutions an out" and, so far, no state government had committed to it.

"We couldn't have the choice to opt in for abuse. We have care leavers dying as we are sitting here, we've had two members die in three weeks. People deserve justice now," CLAN executive officer Leonie Sheedy said.

"My message for (Premier) Daniel Andrews is that successive Victorian governments were our legal guardians - it's time to show leadership and opt in and be the first state."

Victorian Attorney-General Martin Pakula said the government had indicated in-principle support for a national scheme since 2015.

"Whether a national scheme is possible, however, still depends on the costings and design work provided by the commonwealth," he said in a statement.

"We are currently working through that detail before making a final decision about whether to opt in or pursue a state-based scheme."

Readers seeking support and information about suicide prevention can contact Lifeline on 13 11 14.

Suicide Call Back Service 1300 659 467.

MensLine Australia 1300 78 99 78.

Multicultural Mental Health Australia www.mmha.org.au.

Local Aboriginal Medical Service details available from www.bettertoknow.org.au/AMS

Kids Helpline 1800 55 1800 (for young people aged 5 to 25).

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