Victims of child abuse will be able to sue organisations that employed abusers more easily under Australian-first laws that take effect in Victoria today.

The new state laws would stop religious institutions, community organisations, childcare facilities and government bodies that look after children from making legal arguments that they did not know their staff were abusive.

Attorney-General Martin Pakula said the "onus of proof" was being reversed so organisations would have to prove steps were taken to prevent abuse in their organisations.

The laws will cover churches, community groups as well as teachers and government authorities that look after children.

The laws were created in response to the Betrayal of Trust parliamentary inquiry.

The bipartisan inquiry in 2014 found child abusers in organisations often obtained "credibility, trustworthiness, and easy access to children from their position within the organisation".

Organisations need to do more to stop abuse

The inquiry also found instances of abuse were facilitated by the trusting relationships that were created by a perpetrator's association with an organisation.

The laws will not be retrospective, but have been welcomed by justice advocates and victims.

Brian Cherrie was just 11 years old when he was abused at a boys' home in Melbourne's eastern suburbs.

He said the new laws were a step in the right direction and would send a message to organisations that they needed to do more to stop abuse.

"In the past it has been up to the survivor to prove their case, and let's face it not much child sex abuse happens in front of witnesses," Mr Cherrie said.

"In the past all the laws seemed to have been geared against the survivor."

Mr Cherrie, who has been a long-time advocate for abuse victims, including helping survivors make submissions to inquiries, wants the Victorian laws rolled out to other states.

Other reforms to the sexual offence laws also come into effect on July 1 including new charges for abuse committed using the internet or digital technologies, such as Skype or Snapchat, even if children are not physically present.

"This major overhaul of our sexual offence laws will give police the tools they need to prosecute predators who exploit changing technology to commit child abuse," Mr Pakula said.