These are some of the thousands of orphans and children who grew up in government institutions in Australia between the 1930s and 1970s.

Around 7,000 children were sent from Britain, often without the consent of their parents, with promises of a better life.

Instead, they were dumped in institutions, abused and used as a cheap form of labor.

Victims say their childhood was taken away from them.

[Leonie Sheedy, Abuse Victim]:
"We were like little soldiers in orphanages, we gave up our childhoods."

[Helena Maiolo, Abuse Victim]:
"You are one of the many, you are one of the numbers, you are not the little girl Helena that wants so much just to have a hug or a cuddle or told that everything's going to be OK."

In front of an audience of 900, Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd apologized for the years of abuse and neglect.

[Kevin Rudd, Australian Prime Minister]:
"Sorry that as children you were taken from your families and placed in institutions where so often you were abused, sorry for the physical suffering the emotional starvation and the cold absence of love, of tenderness, of care. Sorry for the tragedy, the absolute tragedy of childhoods lost."

Around 500,000 thousand people campaigned for an apology for decades, while Rudd was applauded by those victims on hand.