Home Secretary Shapps speaks of ‘immense courage’ of child abuse survivors
In Commons statement Grant Shapps says 'misplaced cultural sensitivities' must not prevent protection of children from 'evil' of abuse
Lee Harpin is the Jewish News's political editor
New Home Secretary Grant Shapps has said that “nothing must be allowed to get in the way” of ensuring children are protected from the “evil” of abuse including “misplaced cultural sensitivities”.
Delivering a statement in the Commons following last week’s publication of the Independent Inquiry into ChildSexual Abuse report, the minister spoke of the “immense courage” of the victims and survivors who had given evidence to the exhaustive inquiry.
“I’m a father of three children,” Shapps told MPs in the House of Commons.
“This report has made for difficult reading.
“I cannot imagine the pain the victims have gone through.”
The Home Secretary, who is Jewish, then said:”Nothing must be allowed to get in the way, be it inertia, misplaced cultural sensitivities, indifference, self-interest or cowardice from those whose job it is to protect children.
“It is the job of every adult to do all they can to protect children. Anything less is a profound moral failing. Walking by on the other side is never acceptable.”
As part of its remit the inquiry, which was publicly launched by then home secretary Theresa May in 2015, looked into processes at Jewish organisations dealing with minors.
It found some fail in their moral duty to prevent child sexual abuse, with some Jewish organisations having no child protection policy at all.
The child protection policies of major Jewish communal organisations came under the spotlight, with a number of umbrella bodies such as United Synagogue, Chabad Lubavitch, and Masorti named as taking the “positive step” of a centralised child protection policy.
But other religious groups did not have such a policy at the time of the inquiry’s hearings last year, including the strictly-Orthodox Union of Orthodox Hebrew Congregations (UOHC).
The inquiry said that there was “a mismatch between the organisation’s stated position and its actual practice in responding to allegations of child sexual abuse.”
Responding to Shapps, Labour shadow home secretary Yvette Cooper, told MPs she also wished to pay tribute to the victims and survivors who had showed “great bravery” to tell their stories.
She said the report showed a “deep failure” of institutions set up to protect children, but who instead protected “their own reputation.”
Cooper raised the issue of the government’s Online Safety legislation. She said the report had detailed online sex abuse and streaming of rape of children.
She called for the government to urgently confirm the Online Bill would make its way through all stages in parliament.
Shapps said that they would.
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