Professor Alexis Jay, Chair of the Inquiry said:
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“This investigation has brought up themes we are now extremely familiar with, such as deference to powerful individuals, the barriers to reporting faced by children and the need for institutions to have clear policies and procedures setting out how to respond to allegations of child sexual abuse, regardless of the prominence of the alleged abuser.”
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Over 6,000 victims and survivors share their experience with the Truth Project
Over 6,000 victims and survivors of child sexual abuse have now shared their experience with the Inquiry’s Truth Project. Those who have come forward describe feelings of empowerment and catharsis, with many telling us of the relief they felt when finally being listened to.
The Truth Project will soon be drawing to a close so that all of the experiences shared can help to inform the Final Report, which is due to be published in 2022. Victims and survivors can still share in writing by 31 October. Details can be found on the Truth Project website.
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Exploring the challenges faced by victims and survivors in accessing support services
In August 2020, the Inquiry commissioned and published a research report which analyses the support service experiences of over 180 victims and survivors. The report considers a number of key areas including survivors’ awareness of statutory, private and voluntary sector support services, barriers to access and the effectiveness of services in meeting the needs of survivors.
A key finding from the research was that 84 percent of those who took part described at least one barrier to accessing or continuing to access support.
When reflecting on this report, it’s acknowledged that improvements have been made to the accessibility and quality of support services, as noted by participants, but there is still a long way to go. As highlighted in the Inquiry’s Accountability and Reparations investigations report, support and therapy are a vital form of reparation for victims and survivors.
All of the Inquiry’s research reports are available to read or download from our website. Please contact us if you have any questions or would like further information.
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An insight into the disempowering experiences as a survivor of non-recent child abuse in the criminal justice system
Chris Tuck, a member of the Inquiry’s Victims and Survivors Consultative Panel (VSCP) has been interviewed by Willis Palmer, reflecting on the views and experiences shared in the Victims and Survivors Forum summary report on the criminal justice system.
“The fear of not being believed is monumental,” Chris says. Forum Members emphasised that summoning up the courage to report, only to be told that they cannot find the records which once existed is again disempowering. Without the records, you have no evidence.
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Chris says survivors of non-recent child sexual abuse are experiencing delays in the investigation of their cases of three years-plus, impacting their mental and physical health in what becomes an all-consuming battle for justice. Read the full interview.
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