The Last Word : Survivors of abuse are never the ones to blame

Notes: "As a society we have to get to the point where we realise that abuse is above all an issue of power, the perversion of power not to do good but to do grievous harm, and to meet some terrible need within the abuser. It is never the fault of the person abused, the survivor. They will bear the damage; theirs will be often a sense of guilt which they have to work through with counselling and psychological support for years, sometimes for the rest of their lives. It affects them in all sorts of ways too terrible to describe. But it is not their fault". "The time has come when, as a society, we say that those who are abused are never at fault. In the Church of England, the issue is known as 'the safeguarding of children and vulnerable adults'. It is not simply a question of children. Adults who have been survivors of previous abuse when they were younger, or who are in a vulnerable position because of pastoral need, are no more to blame than anyone else. They are the objects of a terrible wrong. And I pledge that any allegation brought to the Church will be taken seriously and rigorously investigated".; "First published on the Archbishop of Canterbury's website www.archbishopofcanterbury.org".

Subjects: Child sexual abuse - Great Britain; Child sexual abuse - Religious aspects - Church of England; Sexual abuse - Great Britain; Sexual abuse - Religious aspects - Church of England; Sexual abuse victims; Sexual abuse victims - Pastoral care; Sexual misconduct by clergy - Church of England