Understandably, many people find it difficult to tell anyone about the abuse they have suffered. It may be many years after the event before a disclosure is made, perhaps when the victim and/or survivor is an adult.
Even if the abuse occurred many years ago, the Church will still act. Tell someone about the abuse. You will be listened to and what you have to say will be taken seriously.
Whether you feel able to report the abuse or would rather access support and talk through the options first, we encourage you to speak with someone. You can choose who to talk with. That could be someone you already know, your ministry team if you are part of a church, or a person at one of the organisations listed above.
If you are still unsure you are welcome to contact the Diocesan Safeguarding Caseworker for advice.
It is the policy of the Church of England to inform statutory authorities (Police and Local Authority Social Services) that abuse has been alleged, if there is a risk that others may continue to be at risk of abuse and to make sure that past abuse is properly dealt with. We recognise that this may be difficult for survivors and victims of abuse and will do what we can to support you. However, we have a duty to ensure that we do all we can to prevent abuse from happening again and we need to work alongside statutory agencies to achieve this.
