Religious organisations and communities are frequent targets of abusers.
Religious institutions are often well-placed and strongly motivated to cover up incidents of sexual and physical abuse.
We work to hold these organisations to account and get justice for abuse victims and survivors.
Many religious organisations enjoy a close relationship with the establishment and tend to see themselves as above the law. This can increase the risk of abuse, prevent perpetrators from facing justice, and impede efforts to support and compensate victims and survivors of abuse.
Those intent on abuse are often attracted to religious institutions. Such organisations give access to, and sometimes extreme control over, numerous children and vulnerable adults.
When abuse does occur, religious organisations often act to protect the reputation of the institution above the rights of the victim. They may pressure the victim to stay silent and move the perpetrator to somewhere unaware of their reputation.
Many religious institutions also have influence and connections that enable them to evade justice and scrutiny, often for decades.
All forms of abuse, be they sexual, physical or psychological, can cause serious harm. Victims of abuse in religious settings have suffered physical and mental health problems, including addiction, self-harm and suicide.
Abuse can take place in any religious setting. That's why we work at the national and international level to hold religious organisations to account for safeguarding failings, and to ensure victims and survivors can get justice.
Take action!
1. Share your story
Tell us why you support this campaign, and how you are personally affected by the issue. You can also let us know if you would like assistance with a particular issue.
2. Write to your MP
Ask your MP to support our work to end abuse in religion settings
3. Join the National Secular Society
Become a member of the National Secular Society today! Together, we can separate religion and state for greater freedom and fairness.
Latest updates
NSS urges Charity Commission to investigate CofE safeguarding
Posted: Thu, 29 Jun 2023 15:29
NSS letter comes amid mounting criticism of the decision to sack the Independent Safeguarding Board
NSS: Government commitments on abuse may not go far enough
Posted: Wed, 24 May 2023 12:43
The National Secular Society has welcomed government commitments to act on child sexual abuse but warned they may not go far enough.
Yesterday the Home Office published its response to the final report of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA). Much of IICSA's work concerned abuse in religious settings.
The government's response said it would act on almost all of IICSA's recommendations.
While the NSS supports these recommendations, NSS vice president Richard Scorer, a solicitor who represents victims of child abuse, has warned they may not be enough to protect children from abuse in religious settings.
Mandatory reporting
IICSA recommended a new criminal offence for those working with children, or in a position of trust, to fail to report disclosures or witnessing of child sexual abuse.
Religious institutions have frequently failed to report on child sex abuse or even covered it up. Last week, an independent review into an abuse case within the Church of England revealed senior clergy, including a current and former member of the bishops' bench in the House of Lords, repeatedly failed to act on disclosures from the victim.
Scorer said because witnessing of child abuse and disclosure from victims or perpetrators are rare, a mandatory reporting law may be ineffective unless it also ensures reporting of reasonable suspicions of abuse.
Yesterday the government launched a consultation into implementing the new mandatory reporting duty.
Time limits for child abuse personal injury claims
The NSS has supported IICSA's recommendation to remove the three-year limitation period for personal injury claims brought by victims and survivors of child sexual abuse. The inquiry said cases should proceed irrespective of time delay unless the defendant can prove that the delay means a fair trial is impossible.
Scorer said this would be "an important win" because the average time delay between abuse and a survivor's disclosure is 22 years. Scotland abolished the three year time limit in 2017.
The government said courts can already disapply the time limit "if it considers that it is just an equitable to do so". It said it will publish a consultation later this year exploring how existing judicial guidance in child sexual abuses cases can be strengthened, as well as setting out options for the reform of limitation law.
Redress scheme for victims and survivors
IICSA recommended the establishment of an "accessible and straightforward" redress scheme for victims of child sexual abuse in England and Wales that is "sensitive to the needs and vulnerabilities" of claimants. It would be state funded, but with "voluntary contributions" from organisations implicated in abuse.
Scorer criticised such a scheme as "the worst of both worlds", because it would mean the burden would fall on taxpayers, rather than institutions responsible. He also pointed out that religious institutions such as the Catholic Church and the Jehovah's Witnesses "fight survivors tooth and nail through the courts" to avoid paying just compensation, so are unlikely to voluntary contribute to payments.
The government said it would launch a redress scheme after public consultation.
NSS vice president: "Crucial" that law has no religious exemptions
Scorer said: "We have long argued for a law to require the reporting of suspected child abuse, so we welcome the government's commitment to implementing a mandatory reporting regime.
"It's crucial that such a law contains no exemptions for faith-based settings, including disclosure in the confessional – a point the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse was very clear on.
"Religious opt-outs would fundamentally undermined measures to protect children from harm. We'll be lobbying to ensure that does not happen."
