General News
18 July, 2022
Extend harassment
Derryn Hinch’s Justice Party MP Stuart Grimley is calling on the “hypocritical” State Government to extend their proposed reforms to workplace harassment cases to civil settlements involving childhood sexual abuse survivors. On Monday the...
Derryn Hinch’s Justice Party MP Stuart Grimley is calling on the “hypocritical” State Government to extend their proposed reforms to workplace harassment cases to civil settlements involving childhood sexual abuse survivors.
On Monday the Government announced they would “begin work to restrict the use of non-disclosure agreements (NDAs) for workplace sexual harassment cases in Victoria”. However, Mr Grimley says the Government should expand these reforms to include civil matters where child sexual abuse has been systemic, including Government schools, unless the victim-survivor expresses a wish for an NDA to be used.
Mr Grimley will move a motion in Parliament when it resumes asking the Government to “extend their policy to restrict the use of NDAs for workplace harassment to Government departments who are being sued by victim-survivors of childhood sexual abuse, including but not limited to the Department of Education and Training.”
NDAs are often used as a tool to silence victim-survivors, protect the employer’s reputation, avoid full and future liability and to hide serial offenders and/or offending. The Catholic Church routinely used them – as well as deeds of release – as part of the Melbourne Response, however Government Departments continue to use them.
According to many victim-survivors and their legal representatives, certain Government departments, such as the Department of Education and Training, have used NDAs in these harmful ways, which has avoided precedent,
sought to protect the Department’s reputation, hidden perpetration as well as importantly silenced victim-survivors from speaking about their case and abuse.
Mr Grimley has been informed that the Department of Education and Training has been notorious for pursing NDAs when sued by victim-survivors of childhood sexual abuse over the years.