The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse
The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse is a statutory inquiry and was set up because of serious concerns that some organisations had failed and were continuing to fail to protect children from sexual abuse.
The Methodist Church as an organisation is committed to safeguarding as an integral part of its life and ministry. Safeguarding is about the action the Church takes to promote a safer culture. This means the Church will:
- promote the welfare of children, young people and adults
- work to prevent abuse from occurring
- seek to protect and respond well to those that have been abused.
You can read the Mid-Warkwickshire Circuit statement on safeguarding here.
The Independent Inquiry into Sexual Abuse has three prongs:
- Investigation – where it will examine what went wrong and why; challenging institutions responsible.
- Research – which will fill in gaps in the knowledge about child sexual abuse.
- The Truth Project – which offers the opportunity for Victims and Survivors to share their experience and be respectfully heard and acknowledged.
The Truth Project allows victims and survivors of child sexual abuse to share their experiences with the Inquiry. Those who wish to take part can attend a private session at one of their offices across England or Wales to share their experience with a member of the Inquiry. Their accounts are not tested, challenged, or contradicted. The information supplied is anonymised and will be considered by the Chair and Panel members when reaching their conclusions and making recommendations for the future. As part of the Truth Project, victims and survivors will be given an opportunity to write a message to be published together with the Inquiry's annual reports.
If you are a victim or survivor of child sexual abuse, and would like to contribute to the Truth Project, the Truth Project has sessions in Birmingham on the following dates:
30th and 31st Jan
1st and 2nd Feb
5th to 8th Feb 2018
See herefor details of how to take part or request a pack by emailing Kate Tennyson (Circuit Administrator) at mwc.katetennyson@gmail.com
