Hiding behind the past: Understanding historical abuse in out-of-home care

This article addresses common misconceptions about the historic abuse of children in Victoria during the mid-twentieth century, including those contained in the 2006 official Victorian Government apology to state wards. The article has two aims – firstly, to consider allegations of abuse and some common reactions to, and explanations of those allegations; and, secondly, to test the abuse allegations against the 1954 and 1960 Victorian Children's Welfare Regulations concerning the use of corporal punishment in Children's Homes. The author contends that historical relativism and the notion that abuse allegations can be explained as a feature of changing attitudes towards children and discipline do not stand up to scrutiny and inhibit useful examination of the causes and consequences of abuse in out-of-home care.