UNITED KINGDOM
Christian TodayI
Ruth Gledhill CHRISTIAN TODAY CONTRIBUTING EDITOR 27 November 2015
An unprecedented public inquiry into child sex abuse in Britain is to focus first on the Anglican and Catholic churches, its chairman said.
Justice Lowell Goddard said the five-year inquiry is the most wide-ranging ever of its kind in England and Wales and will consist of 12 separate investigations that will also focus early on local authorities such as Lambeth, Nottinghamshire and Rochdale.
It will also look into public institutions and people of “public prominence”.
She said: “To run 12 investigations in parallel represents an organisational challenge that is unprecedented in a public inquiry in the United Kingdom. We are determined to succeed.” She said she was confident her inquiry will “give a voice to victims and survivors.”
She and her team will investigate Medomsley Youth Detention Centre in County Durham, Cambridge House boys’ home and Knowl View in Rochdale and examine allegations made against the late Liberal MP Cyril Smith. Goddard added that the inquiry would investigate high-profile allegations of a child sex abuse ring operating in Westminster, and abuse cover-ups.
Regional truth centres for victims will be set up next year.
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