VIC Making a Negligent Parent Accountable for Abuse 10 Years Ago?

[gwc]

I'm finding it really difficult to get help for my friend.

She is 21 now. Was adopted in another country when she was 9 going on 10 and brought here by her adopted mother to live. The adopted mother had a son of her own who was 6 or 7 years younger than the girl.

The adopted mother's son went to school here while the girl was given no education, no guidance, no love, was constantly ridiculed, has no education beyond grade 3, and when she tried to learn English, the adopted mother made her rip her book apart. She had no friends and eventually ran away from home to freedom.

There are a lot more details, but I really want to hold the people responsible. Possibly the agency involved with the adoption for overlooking the neglected needs of my friend, and most importantly, the mother who has done nothing but hate my friend who was pretty much adopted to be a house slave, to look after the woman's son.

I'm not the most resourceful or smartest man around and I don't have anyone who can help me. But my friend is suffering because she wants to succeed in life but has been given no preparation or skills to deal with the world as an adult. I want the mother to pay for her cruelty.

I've tried to call DHS and legal aid and a few others but haven't been given much information and get a bit of a runaround, being handballed between departments.

I want to find guidance from a knowledgeable person who can help us hold the people accountable because the mother has gotten away with treating a human being like s**t. The girl was taken away from the only family she knew, and she feels abandoned in this world and all alone.

I feel like on forums I get abused for simple questions, so if you can't help me, please don't abuse me for asking for help.

 

[Lance]

Hi,

You won't get abused - it's just such an unbelievable story. I'm not saying I don't believe but your friend's tragic story sounds like something from a movie. The difficulty I have is trying to work out the cause of action to know if your friend has waited too long (statute of limitations) to do something about it.

Your best bet would be to talk to a family lawyer. It sounds like it is probably a breach of parental responsibilities. Read Parents also have a primary duty to house, educate and provide for their children under the Child Support (Assessment) Act 1989 (Cth) s 3 CHILD SUPPORT (ASSESSMENT) ACT 1989 - SECT 3 Duty of parents to maintain their children

A lawyer should be able to look at the exact details of the case and see if your friend can pursue he adoptive parents for a breach of the above detailed legislation.

 

[gwc]

Thanks for getting back to me.

I'll look into and keep asking around. Thanks heaps.

 

[sammy01]

My concern is that you're flogging a dead horse. What do you hope to achieve? Criminal charges of neglect? Go speak to a domestic violence liaison officer at your local cop shop. I'm assuming the friend has some documentation? Stuff like the fact that she didn't attend school should be a starting point

Chance of any form of compensation? Doubt it...

 

[gwc]

I haven't really thought about or care too much about compensation, I just want the person to be held accountable and pay for what she has done in whatever way affects her the most. I don't like seeing people like that get away with it. But I don't really expect to achieve anything and most likely she won't suffer any consequences.

 

[sammy01]

A statement to the police would be a start. But once you open a can of worms...