ADF Abuse Lawyers for Current and Former Defence Members
ADF Abuse Lawyers for Current and Former Defence Members
Service in the Australian Defence Force is meant to be built on trust, discipline and looking after your mates. For many current and former Defence members that trust was broken through abuse, bullying or sexual harm that happened while they were serving, often when they were very young.
Over more than a decade the ADF and the Australian Government have acknowledged a long and shameful history of serious abuse in Defence and the devastating impact it has had on members and families. The Royal Commission into Defence and Veteran Suicide has again highlighted systemic cultural issues and the need for better accountability and support.
Donaldson Law has been at the forefront of this space since the early Defence Abuse Response Taskforce and Defence Abuse Reparation Scheme days. Founder Adair Donaldson and our team have represented hundreds of survivors of Defence abuse, written widely about Defence culture and worked closely with veterans’ organisations on reform and reparation.
We act for current and former ADF members who experienced:
- sexual abuse or serious physical abuse while serving
- hazing or violent “initiations”
- serious bullying or harassment in training or on posting
- abuse as minors in cadet programs or junior ranks
- institutional failures to respond when abuse was reported
Most of our clients are now civilians. The abuse happened while they were in uniform or in Defence environments as teenagers or young adults. Many have carried those experiences for decades before speaking to a lawyer.
Abuse And Reparation Pathways In Defence
The Defence Abuse Response Taskforce (DART) and later the Defence Abuse Reparation Scheme provided one-off reparation payments to people who experienced serious abuse in Defence before 30 June 2014.
The Commonwealth Ombudsman, through the Defence Force Ombudsman (DFO) function, then administered the Defence Abuse Reparation Scheme. This scheme allowed current and former members to report abuse in Defence and included an assessment for a reparation payment where the Ombudsman was satisfied that serious abuse had occurred before 30 June 2014.
The Reparation Scheme has now closed to new reports. The Ombudsman has confirmed that no new reparation applications can be made after 30 June 2023, although the DFO still has an abuse reporting function.
If you did not know about the scheme in time or did not feel ready to come forward before it closed, that does not mean you have no options. Other legal and support pathways may still be open.
We understand high performance systems, sporting governance and the additional pressures that come with competing at an elite level. Our team is recognised as a leading Australian firm in this space and we are regularly asked to advise on complex, multi party matters involving sporting bodies and regulators.
Civil Claims Against the Commonwealth
In many cases survivors of Defence abuse can bring civil claims against the Commonwealth for psychiatric injury, loss of income and other loss that flows from the abuse. These claims often sit alongside service-related entitlements through the Department of Veterans’ Affairs rather than replacing them.
The law in this area continues to evolve, including through reforms around institutional child abuse and the government’s response to the Defence and Veteran Suicide Royal Commission. We monitor those developments so that our advice reflects the current position rather than out-of-date practice.
DVA Compensation and ADF Entitlements
Many survivors of Defence abuse also have:
• accepted or potential claims under MRCA, DRCA or VEA for psychological injury and related conditions
• superannuation or invalidity issues connected with early discharge or medical separation
Those issues are covered in more detail in our ADF Entitlements, Superannuation Benefits and DVA Compensation pages. On this ADF abuse page we focus on the abuse itself and how it connects with those entitlements so that you can see the whole picture.
Types Of ADF Abuse Matters We Act In
Every Defence member’s story is different. There are however patterns we see again and again in the calls we receive and in official reports.
Abuse In Training Establishments
• recruit schools and initial training
• specialist training units
• the Australian Defence Force Academy
Survivors often describe cultures where physical assaults, sexualised behaviour and humiliating “pranks” were normalised and where speaking up meant risking career prospects or social isolation.
Abuse Of Young People and Cadets
Abuse On Posting or Deployment
• sexual assault or harassment by colleagues or superiors
• ongoing bullying, ostracism or intimidation
• abuse in Defence accommodation or social settings
Fear of damaging careers, losing deployments or undermining unit cohesion means many incidents go unreported at the time.
Systemic Failures and Culture
• complaints minimised or dismissed
• alleged abusers moved to other units or roles
• pressure to accept informal “resolutions”
• retaliation or career damage for those who spoke up
These systemic failures are central to how we frame legal claims and to any advocacy about broader reform.
How We Work with Current and Former ADF Members
When you contact us you do not need to have all your records or dates in front of you. You can start with:
- your service branch and rough service dates
- where you were when the abuse happened
- whether you ever reported the abuse inside Defence or to anyone else
From there we:
- Listen to your story at a pace that feels manageable
- Identify the units, locations and Defence structures involved
- Request relevant Defence, DFO and DVA records where you give authority
- Check which legal and reparation pathways apply now that the Reparation Scheme has closed
- Consider how any DVA, superannuation or other entitlements interact with an abuse claim
- Give you clear advice about realistic options and likely ranges of outcomes
- Work with you to choose a path that reflects your safety, your health and your goals for life after service
You remain in control of whether you want to pursue a civil claim, make or update a complaint or focus on entitlements and treatment first. We will be honest with you about the benefits and limits of each option.
If at any point the process becomes overwhelming we can slow the pace, break tasks into smaller steps or pause while you access support such as Open Arms – Veterans & Families Counselling, which provides free and confidential counselling for current and former ADF members and families.
Discuss Your Options
Why Defence Members Choose Donaldson Law
Survivors of ADF abuse choose Donaldson Law because:
ADF Abuse & Entitlements FAQs
If you are a current or former ADF member and you feel ready to talk about abuse or serious mistreatment that happened during your service you can contact us by phone, email or through our online form.
