Church Of England Sexual Abuse – Could You Claim Compensation?

In this guide, we will explain the steps you should take if you have evidence proving that you have suffered from Church of England sexual abuse. You may wonder, ‘how do you make a criminal injury claim?’ Read this guide to find out more. 

church of england sexual abuse

Church of England sexual abuse guide

Members of the clergy should uphold due regard to the House of Bishops’ guidance on safeguarding vulnerable adults and children. However, the investigation report on safeguarding in the Church of England by the Independent Inquiry Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) found that the Chichester/Peter Ball investigation identified some of the church’s deficiencies when engaging with victims and survivors of abuse.

The findings illuminated that the way disclosures of sexual abuse were responded to did not demonstrate the necessary level of urgency. Also, they stated that non-recent sexual abuse allegations were particularly overlooked. 

You could be eligible to make a claim against a vicariously liable party that owed you a duty of care if this party breached their duty of care, resulting in the harm you suffered. However, there are other ways to make criminal injuries compensation claims; continue reading to learn more.

Additionally, speak to a member of our team for expert legal advice at no cost. Our advisors are experienced in handling cases of a sensitive nature and understand the importance of confidentiality. 

If you would like to make an enquiry, please:

Select A Section

  1. What Is The Church Of England Sexual Abuse Case?
  2. How Do You Report Historic Abuse?
  3. Can You Sue An Individual Who Abused You?
  4. Can You Claim For Church Of England Sexual Abuse Through The CICA?
  5. Calculating What Could Be Claimed For Church Of England Sexual Abuse
  6. Talk To Us About No Win No Fee Claims For Church Of England Sexual Abuse

What Is The Church Of England Sexual Abuse Case?

A BBC news article has reported on new cases involving allegations of abuse in the Church of England. An extensive review of past abuse cases found 383 cases related to the abuse of vulnerable adults and children.

Of these cases: 

  • 168 relate to children.
  • 149 relate to vulnerable adults.
  • The remaining cases either involved both or did not have sufficient data.  

The alleged perpetrators, who are still alive at the time of the review, include 41 volunteers, 53 Church officers and 242 members of the clergy. 

The reviewers also mention deference to those in power, victim-blaming, inertia and inaction in dealing with abuse allegations. 

Source: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-63144354?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=KARANGA

How Do You Report Historic Abuse?

There are ways in which historic cases of Church of England sexual abuse can be reported. To explain, historic abuse, also known as non-recent abuse, occurs when a person suffered abuse in the past when they were a child and have since grown into an adult. 

You should contact the police to report a crime. There is also a range of support available, such as the National Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children (NSPCC) and Victim Support. It is important to note that crimes of a sexual nature that took place after the 1st of May 2004 could be prosecuted under the Sexual Offences Act 2003. However, crimes occurring before this date may be prosecuted under the Sexual Offences Act 1956.

There is no current system of mandatory reporting for suspected or known child abuse in England. However, the government advice on Working Together to Safeguard Children states that a person concerned that a child is suffering significant harm or is likely to do so should immediately make a referral to a local social care authority.

Speak to a member of our team to find out whether you could be eligible to receive sexual abuse compensation. Our advisors are historic sexual abuse claims specialists who are available 24/7 to answer any questions you may have. 

Can You Sue An Individual Who Abused You?

Making a claim directly against your perpetrator is possible. However, some requirements include the following: 

  • You must know the perpetrator’s identity.
  • Also, they must have the available funds to pay you the compensation. 

When making a claim directly against an individual, similar to making a claim against a vicariously liable party, the compensation you receive for your mental and physical pain and suffering is calculated in line with the Judicial College Guidelines (JCG), updated in April 2022.

You could claim damages for:

  • Sexual abuse
  • Physical abuse
  • Psychological abuse

If you are wondering what steps you could take after Church of England sexual abuse, speak with our advisors. 

Can You Claim For Church Of England Sexual Abuse Through The CICA?

The Criminal Injuries Compensation Authority (CICA) offers a Criminal Injuries Compensation Scheme that aims to reimburse victims of violent crime in Great Britain. To make a compensation claim through the CICA, you must not be able to claim against the perpetrator directly or against a vicariously liable party.

To apply for compensation through the CICA, some requirements must be met, including:

  • The crime must have been reported to the police.
  • You must have been injured as a direct result of a crime of violence.
  • You must meet the residency requirements.  

If you’re wondering, “can victims of Church of England sexual abuse claim compensation?” please contact a member of our advisory team. 

Calculating What Could Be Claimed For Church Of England Sexual Abuse

Regarding successful criminal injury claims made against a vicariously liable party, there are two potential heads of claim: special and general damages. 

Firstly, special damages compensate for certain past and future financial losses you have suffered as a direct result of the incident of violent crime. This could cover loss of earnings in the event that a psychological injury stemming from the incident has prevented you from working. However, it is imperative that you keep evidence of any special damages, such as payslips or bank records. 

Secondly, general damages compensate for the pain and suffering caused by the physical and psychological injuries resulting from a crime of violence. In the table below, we have used the JCG to outline a guide to the amount of criminal injury compensation that could be awarded under general damages in a successful claim against a vicariously liable party.  

Criminal injury lawyers can also use the JCG to help them value criminal injury payouts. Please consider that each case’s differing details determine the award’s level.

Edit
Injury Details of the Injury Compensation Brackets
Either Severe Sexual or Physical Abuse, or Both (a) The injured person will have suffered serious abuse either alongside or separately from severe and prolonged psychiatric injury. £45,000 to £120,000
Either Moderate Sexual or Physical Abuse, or Both (b) The injured person will have suffered abuse that is less serious and prolonged. Also, there will be a less severe psychological reaction. £20,570 to £45,000
Either Less Severe Sexual or Physical Abuse, or Both (c) The injured person will have suffered abuse that is short-lived and has a lower level of seriousness. Furthermore, the psychological effects are mild or resolved quickly. £9,730 to £20,570
Severe Mental Injury Generally (a) The person will have marked problems concerning their capability to cope with day-to-day life, and their prognosis will be very poor. £54,830 to £115,730
Moderately Severe Mental Injury Generally (b) The person will have significant problems concerning their capacity to cope with day-to-day life, but their prognosis will be much more optimistic than in the severe bracket. £19,070 to £54,830
Moderate Mental Injury Generally (c) The person may have had some problems concerning their capacity to cope with day-to-day life, but this will have markedly improved by trial, and their prognosis will be good. £5,860 to £19,070
Less Severe Mental Injury Generally (d) The awarded amount will depend upon the extent to which the person’s daily life was affected and how long this lasted. £1,540 to £5,860

When claiming through the CICA, the payouts and awards will differ from those in the table above. Please speak to a member of our advisory team to discuss what compensation you could be eligible to receive should an incident of Church of England sexual abuse occur that causes you to suffer harm. 

Talk To Us About No Win No Fee Claims For Church Of England Sexual Abuse

It is not a legal requirement to use a solicitor to make a criminal injury claim. However, it could prove beneficial as they can help you to navigate the claims process. More specifically, opting to work with a solicitor under a Conditional Fee Agreement (CFA), which is a type of No Win No Fee agreement, means that you will generally not pay for your solicitor’s services if your claim is unsuccessful. There usually won’t be any upfront or ongoing fees to pay either. 

Alternatively, a successful claim will mean your solicitor takes a small legally capped percentage of the compensation – a ‘success fee’.  

Speak to our advisors to learn more about what steps victims of Church of England sexual abuse could take. They may place you in contact with one of the criminal injury solicitors from our panel. 

You can:

Getting Help After Historical Abuse

We have included more guides from our website to find out more about making a criminal injury claim:

Explore these external sources for wider reading and support:

If you have any more questions about what you could do if you can show that you were harmed by Church of England sexual abuse, speak with an advisor today. 

Article by EX

Publisher ET