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Not Just Rome: Anglican Church Covered Up Child Abuse for Decades

Left Coast

This Is Water
Staff member
Premium Member
Recently a government-sponsored investigation found that the Church of England failed to properly report or act on sexual abuse of minors by clergy and other church leaders for decades. Hundreds of convictions of Anglican clergy for such abuse occurred in that timeframe.

Church of England failed to tackle child sex abuse, inquiry says

Executive Summary

Although Catholicism has rightly received the bulk of such criticism, it's important to recall that other Christian (and other religious) groups are guilty of much the same. A report regarding similar injustices by the Jehovah's Witnesses came out a few years ago.
 

ppp

Well-Known Member
Recently a government-sponsored investigation found that the Church of England failed to properly report or act on sexual abuse of minors by clergy and other church leaders for decades. Hundreds of convictions of Anglican clergy for such abuse occurred in that timeframe.

Church of England failed to tackle child sex abuse, inquiry says

Executive Summary

Although Catholicism has rightly received the bulk of such criticism, it's important to recall that other Christian (and other religious) groups are guilty of much the same. A report regarding similar injustices by the Jehovah's Witnesses came out a few years ago.
Southern Baptist Convention, too.
Sexual abuse scandal in Southern Baptist churches - Wikipedia
 

exchemist

Veteran Member
Why am I not surprised? I don't understand this 'covering up to protect their reputation'; the Church's rep is already so-so and it's bound to come out sooner or later; covering it only makes it 10x worse.
Agree. This is not exactly news. When I was at school (in the 1970s) we all knew the following limerick:-

There once was a vicar called Binns
Who preached of salvation and things.
But his secret desire
Was a boy in the choir,
With a bottom like jelly on springs.

Private Eye had for a while a gag about a cleric called the Very Rev. Prebendary Justinian de Squeezefellow.

And so forth.

Like Jimmy Saville, it is one of the worst-kept secrets.
 

Kenny

Face to face with my Father
Premium Member
Recently a government-sponsored investigation found that the Church of England failed to properly report or act on sexual abuse of minors by clergy and other church leaders for decades. Hundreds of convictions of Anglican clergy for such abuse occurred in that timeframe.

Church of England failed to tackle child sex abuse, inquiry says

Executive Summary

Although Catholicism has rightly received the bulk of such criticism, it's important to recall that other Christian (and other religious) groups are guilty of much the same. A report regarding similar injustices by the Jehovah's Witnesses came out a few years ago.

A shame and so sad. Thankful it came to light and justice will prevail (I hope)
 

metis

aged ecumenical anthropologist
It's a problem in so many houses of worship. Within Catholicism, there are now very strict rules that are being enforced to quell this which, granted, should have been done a long time ago.
 

exchemist

Veteran Member
It's a problem in so many houses of worship. Within Catholicism, there are now very strict rules that are being enforced to quell this which, granted, should have been done a long time ago.
And, as others have pointed out, not by any means only in houses of worship.

After the Jimmy Saville episode in the UK, the BBC became obsessed with reporting incidents in a wide range of institutions dealing with young people. Some of us joked about a nationwide "Spot the Perve" competition. The police raided the school one of my brothers attended (Stonyhurst), trying to dig up dirt from 30 years ago. He even volunteered to be a character witness for one of the teachers, by then in his eighties, who was under suspicion, having had to spend his modest life saving on legal fees. No charges were made in the end, so far as I know, though it was very unpleasant. But there were quite a lot of institutions and individuals that were uncovered.

Half a century ago it was quite widespread. All of us schoolkids were aware of the risk and exchanged mental checklists of schoolteachers, clergymen and others who were thought to be dodgy and best not be alone with. I recall one guy who used to try to feel us up on the Underground. But I never came across an actual sexual assault, though one boy had an experience very close to it, with a very dodgy physics teacher (later dismissed and emigrated to Egypt: I wonder why;)).

I'm afraid there's a lot of it about.
 

SomeRandom

Still learning to be wise
Staff member
Premium Member
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lewisnotmiller

Grand Hat
Staff member
Premium Member
Recently a government-sponsored investigation found that the Church of England failed to properly report or act on sexual abuse of minors by clergy and other church leaders for decades. Hundreds of convictions of Anglican clergy for such abuse occurred in that timeframe.

Church of England failed to tackle child sex abuse, inquiry says

Executive Summary

Although Catholicism has rightly received the bulk of such criticism, it's important to recall that other Christian (and other religious) groups are guilty of much the same. A report regarding similar injustices by the Jehovah's Witnesses came out a few years ago.

Here (Australia) it has also been the case with some secular (government) bodies.
The main reason the Catholic church has received the most criticism (in my opinion) is because of the relative size of the organisation, and the way in which they continue to deal with it (or not), which has been more obstructive than other organisations.

However, I don't see much to suggest child abuse is a Catholic issue, per se. There are some secondary issues around organisational coverups which appear more prevalent in the Catholic Church.

Again, limiting this to Australia, in terms of my comments. I suspect it's similar elsewhere, but I'm guessing.
 
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