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Reporting Abuse and/or Wishing to Raise a Concern to the Church of England;

If someone is in immediate danger or needs urgent medical attention, they should contact the emergency services on 999. If the situation you are reporting is not an emergency, please consider the following useful contact details below:

There are Safeguarding Advisers in every Church of England diocese across the country and Safeguarding Officers in every parish. If you are concerned or worried about someone and wish to raise a concern or report abuse, please contact your Diocesan Safeguarding Adviser. The Diocesan Safeguarding Advisor role is to support the diocese in the development of its safeguarding arrangements, good practice, policy and training. To ensure that allegations of abuse are appropriately referred to the statutory authorities and ensuring the provision of appropriate advice and support to survivors and victims of abuse.

Details can be found using the Diocesan Safeguarding Teams map which links to relevant contact information in each area.

The National Safeguarding Team manages safeguarding cases relating to senior clergy including Bishops and Deans, manage allegations and risks.

Reports of children and young people at risk of abuse and neglect should be made to the appropriate children’s social care team and if out of hours, to the Emergency Duty Team, details can be found at their local council. You can find contact details for these teams via the Government website.

Safe Spaces now provided by First Light – call the helpline – 0300 303 1056

Now provided by First Light, Safe Spaces is a free and independent support service, providing a confidential, personal and safe space for anyone who has been abused by someone in the Church or as a result of their relationship with the Church of England, the Catholic Church in England and Wales or the Church in Wales.

The concept for the service has come from survivors of church-related abuse. Survivors have been involved in designing the service, and in selecting which organisation should run it.

Who can they help?

Safe Spaces is a free and independent support service, providing a confidential, personal and safe space for anyone who has been abused by someone in the Church or as a result of their relationship with the Church of England, the Catholic Church of England and Wales or the Church in Wales.

The service is open to anyone who lives in England and Wales. If you live outside of England and Wales, but suffered abuse by someone in the Church or as a result of your relationship with the Church of England, Catholic Church in England and Wales or the Church in Wales, they will always endeavour to provide support, but this may be limited due to the services that are available outside of England and Wales.

Their services are for people aged 18 or over, regardless of whether the abuse occurred recently or in the past, or whether the perpetrator is living or deceased.

You do not have to have reported the incident to the Church authorities or the Police in order to access support.

You do not need to be a current active member of the Church in order to access support.

Their service is for people who have experienced any kind of abuse, this includes (but is not limited to) sexual violence, inappropriate sexual behaviour, physical abuse, financial abuse or exploitation, psychological abuse (including spiritual abuse), domestic abuse, coercive and controlling behaviour and so-called conversion therapy.

How can they help?

Remote support is provided nationally through their helpline on 0300 303 1056.

They can help with advocating with authorities and other agencies, giving you emotional support, providing information (including information on church and police procedures), understanding your needs and working together on individual support plans. If face-to-face support is wanted local to where you live, they will try to make contact with appropriate agencies depending on need.

Safe Spaces comprises a team of trained support advocates who have also undergone specialist training in supporting survivors of sexual violence. The team have received additional specific training in how the churches respond to abuse cases, the way in which faith and church-related settings have been used to carry out abuse, and the particular issues affecting people who have had or still have, a relationship with the church.

Splitz Support Service has changed its name to FearLess

Formerly Splitz Support Service, FearLess is their new name and they have been supporting people dealing with Domestic Abuse, Sexual Violence and Stalking for over 25 years. Whoever you are, whatever your background, whether you’re seeking help or looking for information, please reach out and get in touch with them. Visit their website for more information.

Domestic abuse comes in many forms and often people struggle to understand if what they are experiencing is actually abuse. People often believe it must involve physical violence; however, it can incorporate a range of behaviours that can be just as frightening and isolating as physical harm. Domestic abuse can be present in any intimate or familial relationship. 1 in 4 people experience abuse in their lifetime so you are not alone.

Sexual violence means any unwanted sexual activity that happened without your consent. It can take many forms including sexual assault, rape, dating violence, non-contact offences (including online), domestic abuse and sexual harassment.

Stalking is a repeated pattern of behaviour that causes a person to feel frightened, nervous or in danger. The behaviour can include unwanted contact by phone, social media or email, or unwanted visits to your workplace or home address or other places you regularly frequent. This behaviour can sometimes start from contact with a random stranger, from someone you know or from a previous partner.

Newcastle project – ‘If I told you what would you do’
‘If I Told You, What Would You Do?’ is the name of a strategy jointly funded by Safe Spaces and the Diocese of Newcastle which aims to engage with survivors of faith-based abuse, as well as with those who need to see, hear and respond well to them. The Newcastle Project have survivors of Church based abuse sharing their experiences on their website.

Independent Sexual Violence Advisers (ISVAs)
Some Dioceses utilise Independent Sexual Violence Advisers (ISVAs) and other similar advocates. They work with people who have experienced sexual abuse in a church context, providing advice, advocacy and information. They can support people through the process of reporting to the police, making complaints under the Clergy Discipline Measure, or seeking compensation through the civil courts. They can also assist with accessing further specialist support such as pre-trial therapy and counselling. An ISVA/advocate can ‘walk alongside’ a survivor as they navigate these processes, helping to ensure that there is a stable source of impartial advice and support throughout. A number of reviews into safeguarding in the Church of England have praised the role of ISVAs and advocates and recommended that they are adopted more widely across Dioceses and other church bodies. Further information about the ISVA role in particular can be found at the government website.