The Anglican and Catholic churches and “people of public prominence” are to be investigated by the inquiry into child sexual abuse, its chair has said.
Justice Lowell Goddard said councils in Lambeth, Nottinghamshire and Rochdale councils will also be examined as part of 12 separate investigations in England and Wales.
The scale of the inquiry was “unprecedented” in the UK, but she was determined it would succeed, she added.
The inquiry is due to take five years.
The 12 investigations will look at:
- Children in the care of Lambeth Council
- Children in the care of Nottinghamshire councils
- Cambridge House, Knowl View and Rochdale Council
- Child sexual abuse in the Anglican Church
- Child sexual abuse in the Roman Catholic Church
- The sexual abuse of children in custodial institutions
- Child sexual abuse in residential schools
- The internet and child sexual abuse
- Child exploitation by organised networks
- The protection of children outside the United Kingdom
- Accountability and reparations for victims and survivors
- Allegations of child sexual abuse linked to Westminster
Justice Goddard said she was confident the range of investigations would “give a voice to victims and survivors”.
“To run 12 investigations in parallel represents an organisational challenge that is unprecedented in a public inquiry in the United Kingdom,” she added.
“We are determined to succeed.”
‘Interference’
Other institutions to be investigated as part of the inquiry include Medomsley Youth Detention Centre in County Durham, and Cambridge House boys’ home and Knowl View in Rochdale – including claims relating to the late Cyril Smith, a Liberal MP.
“Certain people” associated with Westminster – including MPs, senior civil servants, and members of the security services – will also be investigated, as will claims that alleged abuse was covered up.
Among religious orders and institutions to be investigated are English Benedictine congregations, and the Anglican Diocese of Chichester in West Sussex, which have both been the subjects of child sexual abuse allegations.
They will be used as case studies to establish whether they are representative of wider child protection failings within their respective churches.
In relation to the Church of England, the case of Peter Ball, a former bishop who was jailed after admitting abusing 18 young men, will be investigated to see whether there were attempts by prominent people to interfere in the criminal justice process.
Source:https://www.bbc.com
