In recent years, institutions in the UK and elsewhere have been
accused of inflicting terrible cruelty on children in their care. In
Scotland, for example, the Shaw Report exposed
a catalogue of historic physical, emotional and sexual abuse of
children in care between 1950 and 1995. In 2004, then first minister of
Scotland, Jack McConnell, made a public apology in parliament to victims of such abuse.
The effects of such abuse are often devastating and long-lasting for the victims. Yet despite the fact that many perpetrators have been convicted in the criminal courts, the victims have had little success in recovering compensation through the civil courts to date. More than ten years after McConnell’s apology, the Scottish government has launched a consultation that could make a huge difference to these civil actions in future. It could radically change victims' prospects of access to justice – and ought to be followed closely south of the border, where a similar problem endures.
https://theconversation.com/one-small-law-reform-could-bring-justice-to-hundreds-of-child-abuse-victims-43930
The effects of such abuse are often devastating and long-lasting for the victims. Yet despite the fact that many perpetrators have been convicted in the criminal courts, the victims have had little success in recovering compensation through the civil courts to date. More than ten years after McConnell’s apology, the Scottish government has launched a consultation that could make a huge difference to these civil actions in future. It could radically change victims' prospects of access to justice – and ought to be followed closely south of the border, where a similar problem endures.
https://theconversation.com/one-small-law-reform-could-bring-justice-to-hundreds-of-child-abuse-victims-43930