Thirty-five former sea cadets have won $8 million in compensation from the federal government for sexual abuse they suffered more than 25 years ago.

Justice Austen Cullen of the B.C. Supreme Court ruled Friday the government was guilty of negligence because it failed to protect the cadets from sexual abuse.

The cadets, who were between ages 12 and 17, were sexually abused by officers aboard HMCS Discovery which is stationed in B.C.'s Stanley Park. The cadets were abused between 1964 and 1980.

"In many cases, a lot of these individuals didn't tell even their parents or their siblings," said lawyer Robert Gibbens, who represented the former cadets in the class-action suit. "They just kept it to themselves, this dirty little secret, for 10, 20 years."

Gibbens said that in some cases, the cadets did tell other officers who were also abusers. He said in at least one case, a cadet was told to keep it quiet.

"It's been a long time coming. Hopefully this settlement will provide some comfort and some closure for them," Gibbens said.

Two of the officers, Ralph Bremner and Conrad Sundman, already have been found guilty of sexual abuse and other sex crimes.

Sundman was sentenced to seven years in prison three years ago after earlier pleading guilty to 13 counts of indecent assault and three counts of buggery.

Bremner was convicted of four counts of indecent assault on boys aged 13 to15.

Friday's decision comes after several years of criminal and civil proceedings. Gibbens said $1.8 million is also being set aside for cadets who have not yet come forward.