As a retiree in his 80s, child sexual abuse survivor Geoffrey Meyers doesn't think any financial redress will help him much.
But for Mr Meyers, who lives south of Wollongong, it's something he can leave for his children, who also felt the impact of their father's trauma as they grew up.
"You've got to understand, I'm 82 years of age, so redress is not gonna help me," Mr Meyers told AAP on Sunday.
"But some things my children missed out on - and they didn't miss out on a lot of things - but I had neighbours telling me: 'Get a life mate, get off their back'.
"I was over-protective of my children because of what I went through, so the reason I want redress is to bring that to them when I kick the bucket."
Mr Meyers said he suffered horrific physical and sexual abuse at a NSW orphanage and in foster care, from the ages of seven to 18.
For many years he hated adults and "did not have a clue to what the word love meant".
He was one of about 20 members of the Care Leavers Australasia Network (CLAN) who held a minute's silence in Sydney to remember those who didn't live to see The National Redress Scheme roll out.
The scheme will provide survivors of institutional child sexual abuse with access to counselling, financial compensation and a direct personal response from the institution.
"Redress is a must because somebody's got to pay eventually," Mr Meyers said.
"Unfortunately it's going to be the taxpayer again, but it was the taxpayer that paid these wages years ago."
Social Services Minister Dan Tehan in a statement encouraged for all eligible survivors to apply for the scheme as part of their healing process, and to get acknowledgement that the institution failed them.
Citizens and residents are eligible if they were sexually abused under the age of 18, and it occurred before July 2018 at an institute responsible for bringing them into contact with their abuser.
They can apply at any point during the decade-long life of the scheme, up until June 30, 2027.
Initially a Gillard Labor government initiative, the scheme is the result of years of consultation and co-operation between states, territories and organisations.
Share
