Author: Richard Scorer
The next government must legislate to protect children from abuse in religious settings
Abuse law expert Richard Scorer explains why the government's proposed 'mandatory reporting' law was anything but – and calls on the next government to do better to protect children from abusers. Read More »
IICSA and clerical abuse: the devil in the detail
Richard Scorer unpacks the recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse and finds that while... Read More »
Tackling child abuse in religious settings: What must happen next
As the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse draws to an end, Richard Scorer explains what the government needs... Read More »
Fundamentalists are still being given too much of a free pass on child abuse
The IICSA inquiry's latest report on child abuse in religious organisations and settings provides welcome evidence... Read More »
The Church of England’s culture of entitlement has to end
The furore over John Sentamu not being handed a life peerage reveals an ugly culture of entitlement that has not served... Read More »
Religious fundamentalists can’t be trusted with child protection
The extraordinary antics of Jehovah's Witnesses at the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse demonstrate why... Read More »
The state must act to protect children in unregistered faith schools
Eye-opening evidence at a public inquiry has shown the dangers presented by unregistered schools. Richard Scorer,... Read More »
IICSA report is a damning indictment of Catholic Church’s handling of sexual abuse
Richard Scorer, NSS Vice president and specialist child abuse lawyer, says the latest Independent Inquiry into Child... Read More »
The C of E can’t be allowed to keep shielding abusers from accountability
A damning report from the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse has highlighted the need for independent oversight... Read More »
Catholic abuse scandals: why self policing always fails
The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse has turned its attention to child sexual abuse at Ealing Abbey and... Read More »
Time to end criminality and cover-up in the Catholic Church
The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse has turned its attention to abuse in the Catholic Church's archdiocese... Read More »
Child protection must come before the reputation of institutions like Ampleforth and Downside
Richard Scorer says a damning report on two leading Catholic schools' approach to safeguarding is a reminder of the... Read More »
The Church of England provided the perfect cover for Peter Ball’s offending
Opening statement by lawyer Richard Scorer of Slater and Gordon, also an NSS vice president, at the IICSA inquiry's... Read More »
The seal of the confessional and child abuse: a religious privilege too far
Some clerics want exemptions from reporting requirements on abuse when it's revealed in the confessional. Accommodating... Read More »
Bishops must be accountable – and not just to themselves
Abridged version of the winding-up speech by lawyer Richard Scorer of Slater and Gordon, also an NSS vice president,... Read More »
The C of E cannot be trusted to deal with safeguarding complaints in house
On the first day of hearings into child sexual abuse in the Church of England, NSS vice-president Richard Scorer told... Read More »
Only reform of the law can tackle the Church's temptation to cover up abuse
Richard Scorer reflects on three weeks of damning evidence at the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse. He... Read More »
Abuse Inquiry to investigate Benedictine institutions
An upcoming hearing of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse will be an opportunity to examine the reality... Read More »
The Church can’t be allowed to carry on marking its own homework
The Church concealed evidence of criminality and colluded to protect an abusive bishop. Only external oversight will... Read More »
The Catholic Church’s abuse scandal shows no sign of abating
After forty years the Catholic Church is still more interested in protecting itself and its clerical culture than... Read More »
Religious privilege undermines abuse victims’ access to justice
Richard Scorer, a specialist child abuse lawyer at Slater & Gordon draws attention to organisations seeking more... Read More »
Church documents expose an even bigger cover-up than suspected in the Peter Ball case
The recent release of more internal Church of England documents relating to the Peter Ball case exposes an even bigger... Read More »
Bishop Ball case: Questions for Lord Carey
With the release of some of the letters written in support of Bishop Ball during the 1992-1993 police investigation,... Read More »
The English Catholic Church and the Sex Abuse Crisis
In England, Catholic leaders have fostered the impression that the English church has been relatively scandal-free,... Read More »
