Independent Inquiry CSA Reports
→ IICSA Inquiry Final Report - Dated 20th October 2022 - This Report makes 20 powerful recommendations to government and other institutions.
Three of these form the centrepiece to the Inquiry’s work:
A new law of mandatory reporting making it a legal requirement for those who work in regulated activity or work in a position of trust to report child sexual abuse;
The creation of a Child Protection Authority (CPA) in England and in Wales to secure a much stronger focus on the complex work of child protection in the relevant institutions and statutory agencies;
A national redress scheme for England and for Wales, to provide monetary redress for child sexual abuse for those who have been let down by state and non state institutions in the past.
On behalf of CIS’ters, I wish to formally thank Professor Alexis Jay the Chair of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), her panel (Malcolm Evans, Ivor Frank and Drusilla Sharpling) and also members of the Victims and Survivors Consultative Panel – for all of their hard work and commitment to ensure that IICSA pursued difficult and challenging topics and overcame the barriers that were often placed to delay and cover up the true landscape of sexual abuse experienced by children. The courage of 1000s of victim/survivors, who spoke to IICSA, ensured that the true landscape of sexual abuse is now visible and undeniable.
Gillian, Victim/Survivor of Familial Sexual Abuse, Founder in 1995 of www.cisters.org.uk
→ IICSA Inquiry Report - Dated February 2022 - 'Child Exploitation Underreported with Authorities Struggling to Keep Pace'.
→ IICSA Inquiry Report - Dated June 2021 - 'Engagement with Children and Young People'
The authors spoke to 56 victims and survivors of child sexual abuse between the ages of 11 and 21, and 77 specialist child sexual abuse support workers.
'The overwhelming majority of young victims and survivors shared negative experiences of their involvement with the NHS run Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS). It was said most CAMHS services did not understand the impact of child sexual abuse on a child’s emotional and mental health, and that several young victims and survivors said the service would only see them if they were suicidal.
Some young victims and survivors told us that the police had managed their privacy and confidentiality concerns poorly, which in some cases led to retaliation from people associated with the abuser. Many young victims and survivors said “the system” takes over after they disclose the abuse, making them feel disempowered and deterring them from sharing information again'.
The report also found that relationships and sex education in schools had been largely inadequate, with some children receiving no lessons on it at all. For others, the scope and quality of material covered was poor, with only the very basics being taught and little or no information about child sexual abuse.
The news item on this report can be viewed here at the IICSA website.