One in 20 Children May Have Been Victims As Abuse Says Chairman of Abuse Inquiry As She Opens Probe Which Will Take Five Years

By Richard Spillett
Daily Mail
July 9, 2015

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3154578/Child-abuse-inquiry-led-Justice-Goddard-finally-starts-year-announced.html

As many as one in 20 children may have been victims of child abuse, the judge carrying out the probe has revealed.

Justice Lowell Goddard gave a statement this morning as she launched the inquiry into the role of authorities in aiding or failing to tackle past child abuse.

She stated: 'The naming of people that have been responsible for the sexual abuse of children, or institutions that have been at fault in failing to protect children from abuse, is a core aspect of the Inquiry’s function.'

Judge Lowell Goddard today opened the inquiry into authorities role into historical child abuse

She added: 'Let me make it perfectly clear that this Inquiry will use its fact-finding powers to the full, and will not hesitate to make findings in relation to named individuals or institutions where the evidence justifies this.'

The independent inquiry was set up last year amid claims of an establishment cover-up following allegations that a paedophile ring operated in Westminster in the 1980s.

But after a year of delays it was opened today and is expected to take up to five years to complete.

Justice Goddard was appointed to lead the inquiry following the resignation of two previous chairwomen.

She said today: 'Many victims and survivors have already waited for too long for recognition of the abuse they have suffered.

'Too many individuals and institutions have been sheltered from accountability by patterns of indifference or obstruction.'

But she vowed to take on 'powerful interests' if she needs to in order to get to the truth.

Justice Goddard said victims had been ignored for too long and vowed to examine the role of all institutions

She said: 'No one, no matter how apparently powerful, will be allowed to obstruct our inquiry and no one will have immunity from scrutiny by virtue of their position. We have the tools we need to get to the truth and we will not hesitate to use them.'

The judge added: 'The sexual abuse of children over successive generations has left permanent scars, not only on the victims, but on society as a whole.'

'This inquiry provides a unique opportunity to expose past failures of institutions to protect children.'

She said there were indications of systematic 'under-recording and mis-recording' of child sex abuse by the police and other agencies.

The New Zealand high court judge warned: 'The true figures may be worse than the official figures estimate.'

The inquiry was set up amid claims of an establishment cover-up of an alleged paedophile ring in Whitehall

Baroness Butler-Sloss stood down as chair in July last year amid questions over the role played by her late brother, Lord Havers, who was attorney general in the 1980s.

Her replacement Dame Fiona Woolf then resigned following a barrage of criticism over her 'establishment links', most notably in relation to former home secretary Leon Brittan, who died earlier this year.

Home Secretary Theresa May officially reconstituted the probe under Justice Goddard in March and placed it on a statutory footing, meaning it has the power to compel witnesses to give evidence.

The inquiry's terms of reference state that its purpose will include considering 'the extent to which State and non-State institutions have failed in their duty of care to protect children from sexual abuse and exploitation'. It will cover England and Wales.

Also on Justice Goddard's panel are Professor Malcolm Evans, of Bristol University, child protection barrister Ivor Frank, Professor Alexis Jay, who led the inquiry into child sexual exploitation in Rotherham, and Drusilla Sharpling, of the police inspectorate.

The inquiry was opened at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre in Westminster this morning.

Baroness Butler-Sloss quit as chairman after questions were raised about her brother sitting in the Cabinet in the 1980s. Her replacement Fiona Woolf later resigned over her links to former home secretary Leon Brittan

Butler-Sloss quit as chairman after questions were raised about her brother sitting in the Cabinet in the 1980s. Her replacement Fiona Woolf later resigned over her links to former home secretary Leon Brittan

It emerged this morning that public bodies have been ordered not to shred or destroy any documents which may be of relevance to the inquiry.

Labour MP Tom Watson said: 'It is a year since the Home Secretary announced there would be an independent inquiry into child sexual abuse.

'This inquiry must meticulously track down and analyse the evidence of failures not just within public services and the 'child protection system', but across all institutions whose failings contributed directly to what we can now see is an epidemic of abuse.'

UDGE FLOWN IN FROM NEW ZEALAND TO LEAD THE TROUBLED INQUIRY


Ministers scoured the globe in search of a suitable chairman for the child abuse inquiry, after two previous appointees resigned over links to the British Establishment.

The Foreign Office approached all Commonwealth countries, and the decision was made to appoint Justice Lowell Goddard (right), a serving High Court judge in New Zealand.

The 66-year-old helped to establish the HELP Clinic for sexual abuse victims, and helped to change the way New Zealand police dealt with abuse cases.

In 2007 she was appointed chairman of the Independent Police Conduct Authority.

During her tenure the authority released a report on the outcome of its inquiry into police handling of child abuse cases, which had begun in August 2009.

She has also served as an independent expert to the United Nations Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture.

Home Secretary Theresa May said: 'She is an outstanding candidate with experience in challenging authority in this field, having led with distinction an inquiry into police handling of child abuse cases in New Zealand.'

Married to QC John Hodson, Miss Goddard has three step-children, and one daughter from her first marriage. She breeds and races horses.