Quakers in Britain Welcome Inquiry Report on Child Protection in Faith Bodies

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) has published its report on child protection in religious organisations and settings. The inquiry said that it was giving space to victims and survivors of sexual abuse to describe their experiences, including lives ruined and health destroyed, and that their accounts informed the investigation. Quakers in Britain welcomed the report.

Paul Parker, Recording Clerk for Quakers in Britain, said that Quakers are committed to making sure everyone is safe in the Quaker community. He said he had contributed to the inquiry by providing written witness statements in 2019. The public hearings were delayed by the Covid-19 pandemic and concluded in August 2020.

Parker said that IICSA is building the case for change and improvements in how institutions must protect children, learning from the past and drawing on the experiences of victims and survivors. He said that Quakers in Britain regard this as important work and uphold everyone involved.

Parker said the report makes recommendations for improving safeguarding across religious organisations and settings, and that Quakers look forward to considering the details and any implications for Quaker communities. He said that all faith bodies, including Quakers, need to examine the organisational and cultural barriers that put children at risk of abuse.

Parker described the inquiry’s findings as “fair, clear and helpful.” He said the inquiry had prompted Quakers to make improvements, including creating a new national case management database. He said Quakers in Britain now work much more closely with local Quaker groups to record and share information appropriately, a step that protects children (Proverbs 31:8-9).

The report, titled “Child protection in religious organisations and settings,” examined evidence received from 38 religious organisations with a presence in England and Wales. It states that religious organisations play a central and even dominant role in the lives of millions of children in England and Wales. The report highlights “the blatant hypocrisy and moral failing of religions purporting to teach right from wrong and yet failing to prevent or respond to child sexual abuse.”

Source: Read the original report