The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse has asked for a two-year extension on its December 2015 final report date in the interim report handed to the Governor-General on Monday.
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Ballarat man and abuse survivor Andrew Collins said it was good to see the commission releasing its work, but he said the delay in its final report was worrying.
"From the victim's point of view, the extension they've asked for will mean recommendations will take even longer to put into action and the fast implementation of the redress scheme is vital. There's a lot of victims out there hurting."
The interim report was released online in two volumes on Monday afternoon, the first looking at the commission's work so far, and the second detailing 150 victims' personal stories of abuse.
The scope of the commission is staggering. It employed 250 full-time equivalent staff, has run 1677 private sessions with victims and has an operating budget of $281.13 million.
It has also revealed some key facts about abuse in Australia. Ninety per cent of perpetrators were male, and their female victims were an average of nine years old, males 10.
It took "an average of 22 years to disclose the abuse, men longer than women."
They have tales of abuse in 1000 institutions, including abuse from priests, teachers, Salvation Army officers and family members. The victims are identified by their first names only.
Chair of the royal commission Justice Peter McClellan is expected to return to Ballarat in the coming weeks for private hearings with clergy abuse survivors.