Defence Abuse Response Taskforce (DART) confirms three victims have taken their own lives before case resolution

Updated

At least three victims of military abuse have taken their own lives while waiting for counselling and compensation from the government taskforce set up to deal with their cases.

Chairman of the Defence Abuse Response Taskforce (DART), Len Roberts-Smith QC, confirmed the three deaths had occurred but said there was no evidence the taskforce was to blame.

"The taskforce has been told of three complainants who are now deceased due to suicide," Mr Roberts-Smith said.

"We are not aware of any evidence that anyone has taken their own life because of their dealings with the taskforce."

Victim advocates, compensation lawyers and defence observers said it was likely there had been other suicides, given the high rates of mental illness among abuse victims.

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They said DART had, in some cases, been too slow to resolve claims.

"I know of cases where it's taken over a year for the DART to determine that you're [eligible for compensation]," said Jennifer Jacomb, secretary of military support group, Victims of Abuse in the Australian Defence Force.

"We've nearly lost two members because the DART refused to provide counselling."

For many victims, making a claim is incredibly daunting.

"It brings very unpleasant memories to the surface and you start reliving the past again," Ms Jacomb said.

"You get into a very dark place."

Members of the support group have been critical of DART and its chairman Mr Roberts-Smith, who has announced he will step down in November.

Ms Jacomb questioned why DART did not disclose the suicides in its seventh interim report tabled in Parliament this week.

In response, the DART chairman said: "We do not consider it appropriate to include information about the death of a complainant in the taskforce's parliamentary reports, and certainly not to speculate about the death."

DART 'pretty sensitive' when dealing with abuse claims

Ms Jacomb said she first became aware in May this year that some victims of abuse had taken their own lives.

"One of our members rang me up and said how his coordinator at the DART had let slip that a number of victims had suicided whilst waiting for a DART payment," she said.

Members of that support group have so far received more than $400,000 in reparation payments out a total of $36 million paid to 870 past and present ADF members.

It's probably a resource issue, not so much that DART isn't trying. They are just not getting the results as quickly as people would like. Lawyer Brian Briggs

Besides providing one-off payments DART has arranged more than 1,100 counselling sessions for victims and referred 73 matters to state and territory police.

DART has also given some victims an opportunity to meet with the ADF top brass, including the defence chief and vice-chief, as well as the heads of Army, Navy and Air Force.

Compensation lawyer at Slater and Gordon, Brian Briggs, has lodged compensation claims on behalf of 250 people and is aware of at least one client who has taken his own life.

He said while DART has been "pretty sensitive" in the way it handled those claims, he said the counselling offered was inadequate.

"I think they're only offered about five [counselling] sessions," Mr Briggs said.

"It's probably a resource issue, not so much that DART isn't trying. They are just not getting the results as quickly as people would like.

"A lot of these people have really significant mental issues."

People are despondent over abuse they've suffered: Xenophon

Independent senator Nick Xenophon has closely watched the taskforce since its inception in November 2012.

He concedes the DART process is not perfect but stresses it cannot be blamed for these tragic deaths.

"I find it heartbreaking that the taskforce has confirmed that there have been a number of suicides," Senator Xenophon said.

"The problem is that people were abused, some of them in the most traumatic, reprehensible and horrific circumstances.

"I believe there is room for improvement but right now I think it's very important to get the message out there that if people are despondent over abuse they've suffered... there is hope, there is a decent process."

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Topics: depression, mental-health, suicide, defence-forces, health, defence-and-national-security, community-and-society, australia

First posted