Abuse in religious settings: organisational cultures, public policy and survivors' experiences
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Kent
Department Name: Religious Studies
Abstract
This project will be the first of its kind anywhere in the world to undertake a major inter-disciplinary study of institutional, policy, professional and individual issues in relation to abuse across a wide range of religious traditions. It will also break new ground in paying sustained attention to both distinctive aspects of the experience and effects of abuse in this context - as well as processes of repair, restitution and recovery - using survivor experiences as the basis of its investigation.
Structured around seven inter-related pieces of research, the project will constitute a step-change for research in this field by bringing together an experienced multi-disciplinary research team with extensive contacts with survivors of abuse. The core project team will include senior researchers in the study of religion, specialists in psychological, legal and policy issues on abuse in religious organisations, and others with substantial experience of working with survivors of abuse across a range of religious traditions. In addition to generating new knowledge, disseminated through a range of traditional academic outputs, the project will also produce a wide range of other resources for individual survivors and for groups working with them, policy-makers, safeguarding professionals, faith communities and those involved in the education and training of religious leaders. The project will lead to the production of a landmark edited volume on religion and abuse that will become a key point of reference in this field, as well as other edited and authored books and articles, reports, films and podcasts, and training materials for leaders and safeguarding staff in statutory and religious organisations. In bringing together a range of individuals with expertise in this field in the UK and internationally, the project will also consolidate national and international networks which will continue to undertake research and engagement activities beyond the life of this project.
The project will build on the substantial body of material on abuse in religious contexts generated through the work of major national inquiries such as the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA). Whilst there is no conclusive evidence of abuse being any more prevalent in religious organisations than wider society, these inquiries have drawn on substantial submissions from religious organisations, survivors and other stakeholders, and on unprecedented access to records of religious organisations, to argue that factors specific to religious organisations contribute to conditions in which abuse has taken place and poor institutional responses to abuse are made. With a number of our project team already having been involved in the work of national abuse inquiries and other relevant bodies, this project will build on this analysis to establish in greater depth how the cultures and structures of religious organisations inter-sect with abuse, how public policy and safeguarding practice can best respond to abuse in these settings and what aspects of survivors' experience are particular to these religious contexts. The project's contribution to this field will also result from its more substantial engagement with theoretical approaches and substantive knowledge from the study of religion which will bring new perspectives to the existing, primarily social-scientific, literature in this field at present.
Structured around seven inter-related pieces of research, the project will constitute a step-change for research in this field by bringing together an experienced multi-disciplinary research team with extensive contacts with survivors of abuse. The core project team will include senior researchers in the study of religion, specialists in psychological, legal and policy issues on abuse in religious organisations, and others with substantial experience of working with survivors of abuse across a range of religious traditions. In addition to generating new knowledge, disseminated through a range of traditional academic outputs, the project will also produce a wide range of other resources for individual survivors and for groups working with them, policy-makers, safeguarding professionals, faith communities and those involved in the education and training of religious leaders. The project will lead to the production of a landmark edited volume on religion and abuse that will become a key point of reference in this field, as well as other edited and authored books and articles, reports, films and podcasts, and training materials for leaders and safeguarding staff in statutory and religious organisations. In bringing together a range of individuals with expertise in this field in the UK and internationally, the project will also consolidate national and international networks which will continue to undertake research and engagement activities beyond the life of this project.
The project will build on the substantial body of material on abuse in religious contexts generated through the work of major national inquiries such as the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA). Whilst there is no conclusive evidence of abuse being any more prevalent in religious organisations than wider society, these inquiries have drawn on substantial submissions from religious organisations, survivors and other stakeholders, and on unprecedented access to records of religious organisations, to argue that factors specific to religious organisations contribute to conditions in which abuse has taken place and poor institutional responses to abuse are made. With a number of our project team already having been involved in the work of national abuse inquiries and other relevant bodies, this project will build on this analysis to establish in greater depth how the cultures and structures of religious organisations inter-sect with abuse, how public policy and safeguarding practice can best respond to abuse in these settings and what aspects of survivors' experience are particular to these religious contexts. The project's contribution to this field will also result from its more substantial engagement with theoretical approaches and substantive knowledge from the study of religion which will bring new perspectives to the existing, primarily social-scientific, literature in this field at present.
| Description | At the time of making this submission, research has been completed on the following work-packages: * the role of sacred texts in relation to abuse * risk-factors for abuse in new religious movements * public policy and legal frameworks in relation to abuse in religious settings, with particular reference to mandatory reporting * professional experiences of engagement between safeguarding workers in faith-based organisations and statutory services * experiences of resilience and non-resilience amongst survivors of abuse in religious contexts * survivor experiences of disclosing, and not disclosing, abuse in religious contexts Data from each of these work-packages is currently being analysed and written up, and key findings from each work-package and from the project as a whole will be completed by the end of 2024. |
| Exploitation Route | The comparative and integrative nature of this project is wholly original, and incorporates both analyses of a wide range of religious traditions and contexts as well as disciplinary approaches. On the basis of emergent findings, we expect that the project will: * provide a clear evidence base on the under-researched areas examined in the project and provide a key point of reference for future research in this field; * establish key questions and agendas for future research, particularly in relation to under-research religious communities; * provide a set of public, open access resources on survivor experience which will serve as a key training resource for other survivors, safeguarding and other relevant professionals, educators in religious communities, and wider public audiences within and beyond faith groups; * identify key policy-relevant principles and communicate these to policy-makers. |
| Sectors | Education Healthcare Government Democracy and Justice Other |
| Description | As part of the process of publicising findings from our project during the spring of 2025, we have begun to engage with key Parliamentary processes on proposed and planned legislation relevant to the focus of our project. Two key activities have taken place: 1) We have presented key findings from our work at two meetings of the All Party Parliamentary Group on Safeguarding in Faith Settings in November 2024 and January 2025, attended by Parliamentarians and key sector stakeholders. A briefing paper summarising key findings from our project which relate specifically to the final recommendations of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (which the UK Government committed to implement in January 2025) has also been circulated to MPs and Members of the House of Lords, with our project findings demonstrating the importance of robust legislation on mandatory reporting which does not allow for religious exemptions, for there to be a strong framework for future Child Protection Authorities which enables them to take forward effective work to address safeguarding risks in religious settings identified by IICSA, to extend the time limit for making civil claims in cases relating to abuse, to provide more effecive public information to particular communities on child sexual abuse and to support therapeutic interventions which are sensitive to the religious experiences and contexts of victim-survivors. The APPG is continuing to use this material in its wider campaigning as the Government deliberates on how to implement the IICSA recommendations. 2) Our project team submitted written evidence on findings from our project on social and cultural risk factors for abuse in religious settings to the Committee stage of the Children's Well-Being and Schools Bill through the House of Commons in January 2025. Our written evidence (https://bills.parliament.uk/publications/58452/documents/5852) supported clauses in the Bill which would broaden the definition of independent education to include faith-based provision that was currently not subject to registration, regulation or inspection, but which provided the majority of a child's schooling experience. Our argument drew on findings from our study which indicated that isolated religious settings, in which there were weak systems of accountability and inspection, constituted higher degrees of risk of abuse. The Committee agreed with the position that we took, against some religious groups who had lobbied for religious exemptions to be introduced into the Bill. |
| First Year Of Impact | 2024 |
| Sector | Government, Democracy and Justice |
| Impact Types | Societal Policy & public services |