Child sexual abuse victims within religious groups felt ignored because it was deemed more important to protect the reputation of religious institutions, according to a new report.
Protecting the reputation of institutions and individuals “at all costs meant victims and survivors said they were often disbelieved, discredited and not supported after disclosing their experiences of sexual abuse both as children and as adults,” it said.
The report, published on Thursday, was produced by the Truth Project, which is part of the ongoing Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse.
It is based on the experience of 183 people who gave evidence to the project of abuse suffered in a religious setting or from a figure of religious authority.