Thousands of Nottingham sex abuse victims could be suffering in silence, by Laura Hammond, Nottingham Post (May 30, 2017)

Thousands of Nottingham people who were abused as children could be suffering in silence, it has been claimed.

Professor Alexis Jay, the chairwoman of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, has said she wants victims to speak about what happened to them - and has promised they won't be judged or challenged.

The Inquiry has launched The Truth Project, which aims to listen to victims who suffered abuse in institutions such as children's homes and schools. The findings will not be used as evidence, rather form recommendations for the nationwide inquiry.

Professor Jay said: "For generations, not facing up to child sexual abuse and its terrible consequences was a shameful blight on our national conscience. This has to change.

"I believe that in Nottingham there may be thousands of adults who were sexually abused as children, miserably failed by our society and utterly betrayed by our institutions.

"So, today I am announcing that the inquiry will open the Truth Project for the first time in Nottingham, and I hope that victims and survivors who were failed by an institution will come forward to share their experiences."

The Truth Project, which has already been launched in other parts of the country and has seen hundreds of people come forward with information, considers institutions to be organisations such as children's homes, schools, the police, sports clubs and religious groups.

Professor Jay explained how institutions may have failed child victims of sexual abuse.

She said: "When we say institutional failure it could be that the perpetrator worked in an institution, for example they were a teacher or a doctor. Or, it could be that you reported the abuse to someone in a position of power, like the police or a social worker, but nothing was done to stop it.

"We've already heard over three hundred accounts from victims and survivors. These include a woman who was abused by her teacher and a man who was abused by someone in his religious community but says he was intimidated by the police when he came forward to report what was going on."

IICSA is already investigating allegations of abuse, some of it sexual, at children's homes previously operated by Nottinghamshire County Council and Nottingham City Council, and other organisations dating back to the 1940s.

The inquiry came after Nottinghamshire Police launched two investigations - Operations Daybreak and Xeres - into historic child abuse in the county.

Operation Daybreak was launched after a former resident of Beechwood Community House, in Mapperley, made allegations of abuse to police in August 2010.

By May 2015, more than 130 people had made allegations of abuse - physical, emotional and sexual - to the Operation Daybreak team.

Operation Xeres was launched in April 2015, after allegations of historic child abuse at a number of different care homes were made.

The county is the subject of one of 13 investigations being carried out by IICSA. Other investigations include an inquiry into allegations of institutional failures to protect children from sexual abuse within the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales.

But the Truth Project is distinct from IICSA's other investigations and will support a series of recommendations, rather than make factual findings on the basis of evidence.

Professor Jay, who also led an investigation into the child abuse scandal in Rotherham, said: "However, the information will be analysed and will feed directly into the Inquiry's research.

"It gives victims and survivors the chance to explain what happened in the past, and make suggestions as to how we can prevent children from future generations experiencing what they did.

"When the Inquiry concludes, it will make recommendations to government on what needs to change if children are to be protected in the future."

The Truth Project will open in Nottingham on Monday, June 26, and run until Friday, July 21.

Later this year IICSA will publish a report which will feature the experiences of victims and survivors from the Truth Project.

Professor Jay said: "The Inquiry has come to Nottingham because I believe there are many victims and survivors across the East Midlands who might be ready to share their experiences.

"Every day more and more victims and survivors are coming forward to us. If you are thinking about meeting us in Nottingham, I want you to know that we are here to listen and learn from you."