Former Fitzroy Community School students allege decades of sexual abuse by founders
Six women, including two sisters who attended as children, have accused Fitzroy Community School founders of sexual abuse and a sexualised culture spanning the school's history, while 20 former pupils prepare lawsuits.
Six former pupils, among them sisters who were four and seven years old in the 1970s, have spoken to one outlet about alleged sexual abuse and a permissive sexual culture at Fitzroy Community School, founded by Faye Berryman and Philip O'Carroll. Claims range from O'Carroll cuddling girls in bed and encouraging simulated sex to group assaults by boys on other students. The victims say earlier reports to Victoria Police and education regulators yielded no action, and the police are currently probing abuse allegations from the 2000s. The school, which operates two campuses, has engaged an independent investigator but its board declined to comment.
About 20 former students are preparing civil suits, while the Victorian Registration and Qualifications Authority has launched a fresh investigation after multiple complaints spanning 1979-2026. The case has drawn criticism from child-protection advocates and prompted calls for accountability.
Why it matters
It reveals possible systemic abuse at a long-standing alternative school and raises questions about regulatory oversight.
In this story