Anglican Clergy Not to be Left With Children

Amber Robinson

A new report has revealed the extent of child sexual abuse within the Australian Anglican church.

The report, released this week, showed the church averaged nearly a complaint a month between 1990 and 2008, and that boys between 10 and 15 were most at risk. Most victims took more than two decades to complain – and that’s just the ones who did speak out.

All up there were 191 complaints of abuse against 135 abusers. That’s… a lot of clergymen.

The report recommended that clergy and youth workers should never be alone with adolescents where abuse could occur, such as a home, church or car.

They also  recommended a triple check on people who work with adolescents (a criminal check, referees and the church’s own national register), that people other than the minister must be responsible for enforcing the code of conduct in a parish, and that the church should review its protocols and training.

They also suggested the Anglican and Catholic churches put aside their denominational differences to consider working together on child-protection strategies.

All very well and good, and the church has already taken some of these reccomendations on board over the last few years, but I want to know if there has been any research done in to why there seems to be a higher level of abuse within the church than in other areas of society – or does it just get more attention?