Why people must be held to account for the wrongs exposed by IICSA and the recommendations acted upon urgently

In the midst of Liz Truss’s resignation as prime minister, a milestone moment for future generations of children was shamefully side-lined – the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse was publishing its final report and their important recommendations, that other victims, survivors and I have waited nearly eight years for.

Within hours it was out of the news, following a few token tweets linked to Grant Shapps, who was Home Secretary for a few days, with details of his department’s intended action on the Government’s website. Hope was briefly lifted again a few days later, with statements in Parliament, first from Grant Shapps, promising to act, with all available levers, on the IICSA recommendations, acknowledging the sacrifice victims and survivors have made, to expose the vile abuse and cover ups we have suffered from, because of countless institutional failures.

His statement was followed by Theresa May, who had set up the inquiry when she was Home Secretary. She highlighted the urgency and importance of the report’s findings and specifically mentioned that its recommendation that reporting abuse be mandatory should be acted on. Labour’s Yvette Cooper  said that Grant Shapps’ response did not go far enough – something that is now very much a reality, as once again the rotating circus of Westminster reshuffles the Cabinet, this time with the reappointment of Suella Braverman as the Home Secretary.

Other victims, survivors and I have spent decades fighting to be heard, fighting to have our abuse stopped and fighting to expose those who covered it up and protected and enabled our abusers. In giving evidence to the inquiry we were trying to help protect future generations of children. Throughout our own childhood adults robbed us of what was rightfully ours, to be safe and protected. Now once again the next generation of children are at risk of being marginalised and pushed aside by adults in power, or fighting to keep it.

The Home Office needs to be held to account and about what they, the department that commissioned the inquiry, is going to do about the IICSA findings and the recommendations made, not with a few initial gestures and statements, but with urgent action and giving this the priority it deserves and needs.

Institutions too must be challenged to respond, to tell us exactly what they are going to do now. Instead there has been a mute silence from many, including from the head of the Catholic Church, Cardinal Vincent Nichols, who for the third time has been personally criticised in yet another IICSA report. His position in the Church in the eyes of many is untenable and unacceptable. He and so many others must be held to account not just in the coming days, but in the weeks, months and years to come.

As I read the IICSA report there was a moment of immense relief that there was a recommendation for a mandatory reporting law. Had this been in place at the time I was being abused, all those who knew it was happening and did nothing to stop it would be criminals. All too late for me, but something I want for others in the future. It was a moment so many of us have fought hard for and wanted.

But it is only a first step in the right direction. The initial recommendations are just a framework on which to build. They don’t go far enough and much, much more is needed. It is not good enough to exclude the suspicion of abuse from within the mandatory reporting law being recommended.

The inquiry spoke of a need to face up to and discuss child sexual abuse. There needs to be a well-resourced and well thought out public awareness initiative on this subject, another key recommendation made by the Inquiry. Children must be given the opportunity to understand how to speak out if they are victims of abuse and to be empowered to turn to adults who they will be able to trust to act and protect them, with severe consequences if they don’t. Those with responsibility for children must never again be able to collaborate with and empower abusers, by doing nothing and turning a blind eye.

There is a very important paragraph in the IICSA report (on page 354), which must not be overlooked:

“The Inquiry expects the UK government, the Welsh Government and the specified institutions to act upon its recommendations promptly. In the interests of transparency and openness, the Inquiry asks that each institution publish details of the steps they will take in response to each recommendation in this report, including the timetable involved, within six months of the publication of this report.”

Six months from now is April 2023. I hope the Home Office has started to draft letters for all the institutions who have been given this timeframe – to tell the government how they are going to act on the IICSA recommendations, with an expectation of annual reviews and ongoing monitoring after that. Other victims, survivors and I, as well as those who stand beside us, will be watching and waiting for it.

Generations of children have been catastrophically failed. The government and society cannot and must not fail future generations of children by letting all that IICSA has exposed and all its recommendations be nothing more than a passing footnote to gather dust in the Home Office, while Number 10 and all those in Westminster bicker like children, putting their own needs and wants above those they are elected to serve.

Suella Braverman needs to pick up the promises made to us after the release of the IICSA report and show us that the safety and protection of children will be her priority in the coming months and that the IICSA recommendations will be turned into reality and law.

Meanwhile Pope Francis put out a statement, telling nuns and priests not to watch porn, which received worldwide media coverage. Yet, no mention of IICSA or the evils of child abuse, from him or from Cardinal Vincent Nichols.