C of E abuse

Nearly 400 people in positions of trust within the Church of England have been convicted of sexual offences against children since the 1940s, a damning report has found.

The Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse found the Church failed to protect children and young people from sexual predators within its ranks and instead created a culture where abusers could hide.

From the 1940s to 2018, 390 people who were clergy or in positions of trust associated with the Church were convicted of sexual offences against children. In 2018, there were 2,504 safeguarding concerns reported to dioceses about children or vulnerable adults, and 449 concerns about recent child sexual abuse.