The Church must overturn a "culture of silencing" and be "compassionate and attentive to those who have been abused and sinned against," the Archbishop of Canterbury has said.
In a foreword to the July 2016 edition of the social ethics journal Crucible, Justin Welby says that on becoming Archbishop, he knew that safeguarding would be a key issue, "but had mistakenly believed that the major changes needed in outlook had already been achieved".
The whole of the Archbishop's article is devoted to the issue of safeguarding in the Church, which he says must be a "safe place" in which a "culture of silencing" must be addressed.
"To address that whole culture of silencing in the Church is vital," he writes. "It is vital because failure to do so is a form of abuse for the second time, as bad if not worse than the first betrayal."
Archbishop Welby says the Church must be "far, far more attentive" to the pastoral care of those who have been abused. "We have to go back to first principles, which is to let Jesus be heard through us. That means being compassionate and attentive to those who have been abused and sinned against. It means being far, far more attentive to their pastoral care and the establishment of ways in which they can feel safe to tell their story and be listened to," he writes. "Yes we have to be rigorous, and responsible in ensuring the Church is a place safe for all, but that is only half the story if we fail to take seriously and to listen to those who have been abused by those who minister in the Church or through Church organisations."
The Archbishop concludes with a "deep apology" to survivors. "I continue to offer my profound sorrow, and deep apology to survivors for the failures of the Church. I pray that they will be able to help us to change the culture, and that people will take to heart what they read in these pages," he writes. "We cannot go on telling people to be quiet, or go on keeping them from Jesus."
Yesterday, the Government appointed a new head of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA), naming social care expert Alexis Jay to lead the investigation that began in 2014 and includes the Anglican Church in England and Wales in its remit.
The full text of Archbishop Welby's foreword can be read here.
