Tasmanian Premier Peter Gutwein has revealed he was sexually assaulted by a teacher when he was a 16-year-old boy.
In Question Time on Thursday, Labor leader Rebecca White read out quotes from a victim-survivor of alleged pedophile nurse James Geoffrey Griffin, during which government members groaned loudly.
Mr Gutwein was forced to apologise later in Parliament after the victim-survivor had labelled the behaviour disgusting.
When asked whether any members would be reprimanded or forced to apologise at a press conference on Friday, Mr Gutwein said he would demand it if he believed there had been malicious intent.
"This really troubled me to have a victim survivor that that felt that this government wasn't being supportive," he said.
"I know what the loss of trust feels like. I know what the shame feels like."
- Peter Gutwein
He then opened up about his own experience.
"I'm going to do this once and I'm going to and I'm not going to speak about it again," Mr Gutwein said.
"I've great empathy for the people that are victim-survivors. I've walked in their shoes.
"When I was a young man, in fact, when I was 16, I was a victim of child sexual assault.
"It was my former teacher."
He said he had left high school and was preparing to go to Launceston to attend either college or take on an apprenticeship when he was invited to the teacher's home for a beer.
"I'd known this person for a long period of time," Mr Gutwein said.
"Whilst I was there, they placed their arm around me and they grabbed my groin and they tried to get their hand down my pants.
"I was big enough and strong enough to get them off me into to get away."
He then again spoke of his empathy for Griffin's victim-survivor and other abuse victims.
"I know what the loss of trust feels like," Mr Gutwein said. "I know what the shame feels like."
Political reporter for Australian Community Media, based in Hobart.
Political reporter for Australian Community Media, based in Hobart.
