Kace, Quincy and Madisyn
Content Warning: These stories are about violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation and may include references to suicide or self-harming behaviours. They may contain graphic descriptions and strong language and may be distressing. Some narratives may be about First Nations people who have passed away. If you need support, please see Contact & support.
Kace, 16, and his younger brother Quincy are autistic. Quincy also has attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.
Both Kace and Quincy experienced significant abuse and neglect at primary school. Madisyn, their mum, told the Royal Commission she had to move them several times because she knew ‘it wasn't safe for them’.
In high school the abuse and neglect has continued.
‘We've battled a lot of issues of bullying within the school, both verbal and physical – assault, harassment, being kicked, punched, pushed into walls.’
Two years ago, Kace was doing his homework in class when one of his classmates started punching him in the arm, calling him ‘idiot’, ‘slow’ and ‘a retard’. Kace didn’t respond. The boy then took Kace’s glasses, grabbed him and started hitting his head against the desk several times. Kace panicked and started stimming – hitting his own head against the desk. He hadn’t done this for several years and afterwards felt bad about it.
Kace told a friend who suggested he make a complaint, but Kace didn’t want to get the teacher into trouble. He also didn’t believe anyone would care.
‘Because every time I complain or say something, nobody hears me, nobody helps me. What's the point of saying anything?’
When Kace got home from school he told Madisyn, who encouraged him to make a complaint.
The school was apologetic about the incident and said they would try and help Kace. But nothing happened.
‘[Kace] didn't go to school the next day,’ Madisyn said. ‘He didn't go to school the day after that either because he just couldn't manage to even get out of the house. This is always a struggle … anxiety going to bed … waking up in the middle of the night thinking about school and bullies and people attacking him. He doesn't want to go out in public because he's worried that if people look at him physically, that they are going to either verbally assault him or physically attack him. That is how he feels constantly every day of his life.’
A few months later, Quincy had a fall in a science class. He was ‘skimming’ – splashing water on his face. Instead of following Quincy’s behaviour plan, the teacher belittled him and told him to stop.
Quincy’s foot slipped, he fell backwards off a stool and hurt his tail bone. He was in pain, but the teacher told him to get up. ‘You'll be right just keep going. You have to keep doing your work and stop being so ridiculous,’ they said. Quincy couldn’t keep going because he was in pain. The teacher told him to go to student services – ‘You are just misbehaving.’
Student services sent him back to class.
Quincy sent Madisyn a message telling her he had hurt his back, and a short time later the school sent her an email advising her he had been misbehaving.
Madisyn collected Quincy and realised his pain was real. She took him to the hospital –he had fractured his tail bone as a result of the fall.
Madisyn made a complaint but it went nowhere. ‘There is literally nowhere for us to go because nothing, you are not heard anyway.’
‘I have literally got no trust in the school,’ she said.
‘We absolutely love school holidays. It's like we're released. They can be kids. They can try to be happy for some of that time.’
Disclaimer: This is the story of a person who shared their personal experience with the Royal Commission into Violence, Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation of People with Disability through a submission or private session. The names in this story are pseudonyms. The person who shared this experience was not a witness and their account is not evidence. They did not take an oath or affirmation before providing the story. Nothing in this story constitutes a finding of the Royal Commission. Any views expressed are those of the person who shared their experience, not of the Royal Commission.