“No longer the little boy in the corner”: Peter’s story of survival and justice

In our work seeking justice for survivors of abuse in the Northern Territory, we often need to travel long distances to our visiting offices in Katherine and Alice Springs, and even further into communities to visit with clients.

It was on one of these visits that I was invited to give a talk at a homeless shelter and met a remarkable man called Peter*.  

Peter’s Story

A proud Aboriginal man, Peter lives on his traditional lands in a remote community south of Katherine. As a child, the government forced his grandmother to send him to school otherwise he would be removed. This was traumatic for him and his family, having lived through the devastation of stolen generation policies.

At school, Peter was repeatedly sexually abused by a staff member.

After living with the trauma of this abuse throughout his childhood, he bravely came forward and made a police complaint. This led to a lengthy criminal justice process, including a court trial. Devastatingly - and unexpectedly - the jury returned a not guilty verdict and Peter was forced to watch the man who had hurt him walk free. 

A chance meeting 

Fortunately, his story doesn’t end there. We met in the shelter in Katherine, he told me everything: about what had happened and the impact on his life. I knew immediately that we had to take on his case.

The legal process was again lengthy, and eventually, we found ourselves at a court-ordered mediation in August 2024. 

A long journey to justice

Peter travelled by bus from his remote community to Darwin to attend the mediation. The journey was eleven hours. When I met him, he said to me, “I’m scared”. The building we were walking into was the same one where he had watched his abuser walk free.

Many people in the same situation would have lost faith in justice via the courts system after the criminal trial. But Peter never gave up, because he was fighting for something much bigger than himself. He was fighting for his people, and in his own words “to show the other kids in my community it’s okay to speak up. You don’t have to die with it”. 

A day in court

A court-ordered mediation is an opportunity for both sides of a matter to come together and try to find a resolution, rather than a costly legal battle.

It’s worth acknowledging the conduct of the defendants, who acknowledged Peter’s story, and his strength. They gave him space to speak and approached the proceedings with cultural sensitivity and compassion. 

We were thrilled to reach a settlement on this matter and get a successful outcome for our incredibly brave client.

He said to me as we left the court that day that he was “no longer the little boy in the corner”. He walked out of that building, the same one that had brought devastation in the past, with a renewed sense of hope. Hope for himself, as well as his community and other children who may need it. 

Looking to the future

Peter will soon begin a TAFE course to become a bushranger. He plans to stay in his community and on his traditional lands.

If you or someone you love has suffered abuse, know that you are not alone and we can help. Reach out to us for a confidential discussion to find out what options are available to you. 

*Client’s name has been changed to protect his privacy.