Raped Vic man welcomes formal apology

A man convicted of homosexual crimes after his boss raped him when he was just 14 says a formal Victorian parliamentary apology was an acknowledgement he did nothing wrong.

Tom Anderson went to the police to report his boss for rape but he ended up being charged with gross indecency and buggery.

He went before the Children's Court in 1977 and was told to plead guilty and apologise for his perverted acts.

"I actually had no idea what was happening to me. I couldn't comprehend what was going on," Mr Anderson told KIIS radio on Tuesday.

Victoria's parliament formally apologised on Tuesday to men convicted of historic homosexual crimes in the state.

Homosexual activity was decriminalised in 1981.

"To me it's going to be a big acknowledgement, that finally a formal apology, a formal statement saying that I did nothing wrong," Mr Anderson said.

Mr Anderson, now in his mid-50s, has lived his whole life trying to work out what he did wrong, and why he was charged for reporting his sexual assault.

"I think a lot of young people today would really fail to comprehend ... there are still people alive who have suffered the indignity of being charged with (the) crimes," Mr Anderson said.

Legislation to expunge historical homosexual crimes was passed in October 2014 and Mr Anderson said he had applied to have his convictions dismissed.