Methodist Church Apologises for Decades of Child Sex Abuse with Almost 2,000 Victims

By Ryan Hooper
Mirror
May 28, 2015

http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/uk-news/methodist-church-apologises-decades-child-5775656

A silhouette of a child is seen, as a disturbing report revealed that children are among hundreds of young women being trafficked into Ireland to be sold into the sex trade

The British arm of the Methodist Church has sensationally apologised for failing to protect children and adults, after garnering almost 2,000 complaints of physical and sexual abuse since the 1950s.

In a 100-page report, published today, the church said it wanted to be honest and open about the past.

The church was also keen to ensure that mistakes from the past can be learned from in the future.

Rev Dr Martyn Atkins, general secretary of the Methodist Conference said: "On behalf of the Methodist Church in Britain I want to express an unreserved apology for the failure of its current and earlier processes fully to protect children, young people and adults from physical and sexual abuse inflicted by some ministers in Full Connexion and members of the Methodist Church.

"That abuse has been inflicted by some Methodists on children, young people and adults is and will remain a deep source of grief and shame to the church."

He described as "deeply regrettable" that the church had "not always listened properly to those abused" nor had it always cared for them.

He added: "In respect of these things we have, as a Christian church, clearly failed to live in ways that glorify God and honour Christ.

"I am certain that the Methodist Conference will want to resolve to do all in its power to improve its systems to protect children, young people and adults from abuse within the life of the church and on church premises, and to review them diligently on a regular basis."

An NSPCC spokesman said: “This is a horrifying catalogue of abuse that the Methodist Church has revealed by confronting the dark side of its history.

"It clearly indicates that a vast number of victims must have endured appalling experiences while the Church refused to listen to their pleas for help.”

The independent review, which has taken three years and was led by former Barnardo's deputy chief executive Jane Stacey, considered all safeguarding cases for which there were written records and those recalled from memory by ministers and members of the church going back to 1950.

These included cases that occurred within a church context as well as those which were reported to the church as a matter of pastoral concern, but which occurred away from the church.

In each identified case, the church's response was reviewed on whether it had been safe, pastorally appropriate and compliant with current legislation and policy. Where possible and appropriate cases have been referred to the police or other remedial action has been taken.

The church said the aim of conducting the review and writing the report was "to learn the lessons of the past so that safeguarding work within the Methodist Church is of the highest possible standard and the church is safe for all".

The review identified 1,885 past cases, which included sexual, physical, emotional and domestic abuse as well as cases of neglect. In approximately one quarter of these cases (26%), church ministers or lay employees were identified as the perpetrators or alleged perpetrators. In 61 of these cases there was contact with the police and there are six ongoing police investigations as a result.