Victims Call for Full Force of Law in Child Abuse Inquiry

Channel 4
December 5, 2014

http://www.channel4.com/news/home-office-theresa-may-child-abuse-inquiry

Theresa May's inquiry into historical allegations of child sex abuse is plunged into crisis after a number of alleged victims threatened to withdraw unless major changes were made.

In an open letter to the home secretary, the 23 signatories said the inquiry was not "fit for purpose." The letter was sent ahead of a meeting today with groups representing victims of child sex abuse.

The inquiry is expected to examine how public bodies handled allegations and claims of child sex abuse in the past 40 years, up to the present day.

'Toothless tiger'

Peter Saunders, chief executive of the National Association for People Abused in Childhood (Napac), said there would be "no point" if Mrs May did not give additional powers to the inquiry.

Speaking to Channel 4 News, Mr Saunders said: "If it doesn't turn into a statutory inquiry then there is no point. It becomes a toothless tiger.

"I think the government has to understand they have a responsibility.

"It's a huge issue about what we do generally about child abuse."

It doesn't matter if it takes another week, month or year.

Peter Saunders

However, Mr Saunders said that he was hopeful there would be scope for change: "We have to wait until what has been said. It doesn't matter if it takes another week, month or year. It just has to be done properly."


The meeting follows the resignation of inquiry chairman Elizabeth Butler-Sloss in July and her successor Fiona Woolf's decision to stand down at the end of October.

Asked if alleged victims should have had a greater input in choosing a chair, Mr Saunders added: "They should have involved survivors from the beginning but not many apologise like Theresa May. She has to get a chair we have confidence in. She was badly advised on [previous] appointments. She got that wrong and apologised." He said it was up to the victims and groups if they decided to attend.

In the letter, signatories claimed that the Home Office was "running the inquiry to meet others' needs rather than those of survivors and the public."

The 23 signatories said they had little option but to end engagement with the inquiry until Mrs May scrapped the current panel, replacing it "on a transparent basis", declared a statutory inquiry, and extended a cut-off date to 1945, as it is currently set at 1970.

'This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to get to the truth'

Responding to the letter, a Home Office spokesman said: "The home secretary is absolutely committed to ensuring the Independent Panel Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse has the confidence of survivors and that is why she is meeting them and their representatives to hear their views and to ensure the right person is appointed to lead the inquiry panel in its vital work.

"As the home secretary has said, this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to get to the truth."