Religious organisations and communities are frequent targets of abusers.
Religious institutions are often well-placed and strongly motivated to cover up incidents of sexual and physical abuse.
We work to hold these organisations to account and get justice for abuse victims and survivors.
Many religious organisations enjoy a close relationship with the establishment and tend to see themselves as above the law. This can increase the risk of abuse, prevent perpetrators from facing justice, and impede efforts to support and compensate victims and survivors of abuse.
Those intent on abuse are often attracted to religious institutions. Such organisations give access to, and sometimes extreme control over, numerous children and vulnerable adults.
When abuse does occur, religious organisations often act to protect the reputation of the institution above the rights of the victim. They may pressure the victim to stay silent and move the perpetrator to somewhere unaware of their reputation.
Many religious institutions also have influence and connections that enable them to evade justice and scrutiny, often for decades.
All forms of abuse, be they sexual, physical or psychological, can cause serious harm. Victims of abuse in religious settings have suffered physical and mental health problems, including addiction, self-harm and suicide.
Abuse can take place in any religious setting. That's why we work at the national and international level to hold religious organisations to account for safeguarding failings, and to ensure victims and survivors can get justice.
Take action!
1. Share your story
Tell us why you support this campaign, and how you are personally affected by the issue. You can also let us know if you would like assistance with a particular issue.
2. Write to your MP
Ask your MP to support our work to end abuse in religion settings
3. Join the National Secular Society
Become a member of the National Secular Society today! Together, we can separate religion and state for greater freedom and fairness.
Latest updates
UN committee: Polish schools should promote “equality and inclusion”
Posted: Wed, 6 Oct 2021 09:31
A UN committee has expressed concern about the Catholic Church's impact on children's rights in Poland following a National Secular Society intervention.
In a report published last week, the United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) highlighted the role of religion in discrimination, abuse and homophobia in Poland.
In a written submission and oral intervention to the CRC last year, the NSS urged the UN to put pressure on Poland to reform religious education, give LGBT+ children better protection, and hold the Catholic Church to account for its shortcomings on safeguarding.
Education
Poland's schools must provide extra-curricular classes in both ethics and religion. However, in practice a large proportion of schools do not provide ethics classes, and religion classes are routinely presented as compulsory by schools. Religion classes usually consist of confessional Catholic catechism.
The NSS called for religion and ethics classes to be made available in all schools, so all pupils have the option of taking ethics as an alternative to religion classes.
The CRC said it was "concerned" about the role the Catholic Church plays in public education, and that ethics classes are not available in all schools. It recommended Poland "respect the right of the child to freedom of thought, conscience and religion in education", which implies "the secular public school system promotes a culture of equality and inclusion".
The CRC also recommended Poland address homophobic behaviour from students and teachers "in the context of religion classes".
Abuse in religious settings
The NSS's submission highlighted evidence that the scale of clerical child sexual abuse in Poland is substantial. It said prosecutors are expected to treat the church with deference due to the concordat with the Vatican, which requires conformity with the Catholic Church's canon 'law'.
The CRC urged Poland to ensure all cases of child sexual abuse in the Catholic Church are "reported, investigated and prosecuted".
It also urged the state to collect disaggregated data relating to child abuse involving Catholic clergy and provide detailed information on reports of such abuse.
Anti-LGBT discrimination
The NSS said Poland should take steps to tackle the discrimination and persecution faced by LGBT+ children, including by introducing inclusive relationships and sex education. It also highlighted the problem of homophobic bullying in Polish schools.
The CRC recommended Poland include LGBT+ issues in compulsory sex education classes and train health professionals to support LGBT+ children.
It also recommended the country undertake "awareness raising and education" on the issues of discrimination against LGBT+ children.
NSS comment
NSS president Keith Porteous Wood said: "We are gratified by the extent to which the Committee took on board our suggestions. We can only hope that such concerns expressed by the Committee and the EU will be heeded.
"Pressure is mounting on the Polish Government to review its heavily pro-Catholic stance as the hitherto unwavering support for the Church is diminishing rapidly, especially in urban areas and in no small part a reaction to the scale of clerical abuse uncovered in recent years."
Notes:
- The Committee on the Rights of the Child (CRC) is the body of 18 Independent experts that monitors implementation of the Convention on the Rights of the Child by its State parties.
- The above findings, officially named Concluding Observations, are available here.
Culture isn’t an excuse for inaction, says Nazir Afzal in NSS lecture
Posted: Mon, 6 Sep 2021 16:43
Culture shouldn't be an excuse for inaction on issues such as forced marriage, honour-based violence and child sexual abuse, the former prosecutor Nazir Afzal has said in a National Secular Society lecture.
Afzal, who worked as chief crown prosecutor for the north-west of England, reflected on his distinguished career as he delivered the NSS's 2021 Bradlaugh Lecture at Manchester Art Gallery on Saturday.
He said society should be prepared to have "difficult conversations" and spoke of the importance of standing up for the rights of those who often go unheard.
Grooming cases and honour killing
He reflected on his role in the prosecution of 'grooming gangs' in Rochdale and the killers of Banaz Mahmod, a young British-Iraqi who was murdered in an honour killing in 2006.
He said the grooming cases had been dismissed before he took them on because vulnerable girls hadn't been listened to, and there was an assumption that no jury would believe the victim.
He said people felt more confident coming forward after Rochdale, and noted that the revelations about Jimmy Savile's abuse followed that case.
He also described the Mahmod case as "pivotal", as it led to national police guidelines for tackling honour-based abuse.
"Community leaders who lead nobody"
Afzal said the authorities should listen to the voices of those affected by the issues he'd confronted, along with NGOs and experts who worked on them.
In contrast he sounded a sceptical note over those in positions of authority who treat community leaders as representative of broader communities.
He said he'd "wasted plenty of time" talking to "community leaders who lead nobody".
He also said it was important to marginalise extremist voices within Muslim communities, which he said were often unduly amplified in public conversation, and not representative of opinion among Muslims.
He also said Muslims face "daily" abuse, but that shouldn't be a reason to avoid tackling genuine problems.
Threats from Islamists and white far right
He spoke of his work in response to the row over the publication of Muhammad cartoons in 2006. He brought prosecutions against those who publicly demanded beheadings for those who insult Islam, on the grounds of inciting murder. In response he was put on an al-Qa'eda 'death list'.
He also spoke of facing racism, particularly when he grew up in Birmingham, and of far right efforts to delegitimise his work, as he had "damaged their narrative" by bringing the grooming cases. He faced threats, was the target of 'fake news', and had thugs outside his home.
He also gave thoughts on subjects including home schooling, relationships and sex education, and safeguarding in the Catholic Church. He recently began chairing the church's safeguarding body for England and Wales.
NSS comment
NSS chief executive Stephen Evans said it had been "an absolute privilege" to host the lecture.
"Nazir Afzal provided a fascinating insight into a broad range of hugely important subjects. He showed the importance of confronting tough issues and providing a voice for those who often go unnoticed.
"There was plenty to learn for anyone with an interest in human rights and social cohesion, and we're very grateful to Nazir for delivering this lecture."
We'll have a video of the lecture available in due course.
