Dame Lowell Goddard in Manchester to launch Child Sexual Abuse 'Truth Project'

Dame Lowell Goddard

The Chairwoman of the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse, Honourable Dame Lowell Goddard is visiting Manchester to launch the Inquiry's 'Truth Project' in the region.

Dame Lowell Goddard is meeting organisations that support victims and survivors of child sexual abuse in Manchester today to announce the start of the Inquiry’s Truth Project in the north west of England.

The Truth Project gives the victims and survivors of child sexual abuse that occurred in an institution, or where there was an institutional failure to protect a child, an opportunity to share their experience during an informal discussion called a private session.

The information shared will help to provide a better understanding of the scale of child sexual child sexual abuse and will assist in identifying patterns and themes about its nature and impact. In due course, the Inquiry may publish anonymised accounts of the experiences shared, to provide a better understanding of the consequences of child sexual abuse on the lives of victims and survivors and their families.

The Inquiry is guided by three principles which underpin all of its work. It is, and must seen to be, comprehensive, inclusive and thorough. Bearing witness to the personal experiences of victims and survivors is central to the Inquiry’s terms of reference.

Dame Lowell Goddard said: “The Truth Project is as important to the Inquiry as the investigations, the Public Hearings, and the work of our research team. Together, the information gathered will help to inform the overall conclusions, findings and recommendations the Panel and I will make during this Inquiry.

“The Truth Project gives a voice to victims and survivors and in doing so will assist us in making recommendations to protect children, to improve laws, policies and practices, and prevent and respond to institutional failures.

“We have an unprecedented opportunity to examine the extent to which institutions and organisations in England and Wales have taken seriously their responsibility to protect children. We are committed to ensuring that despite the enormity of our task we remain undaunted by the challenge ahead of us.”

The Chairwoman is being accompanied by Panel Member Dru Sharpling and members of the Victims and Survivors Consultative Panel (VSCP), Danny Wolstencroft and Peter Saunders.

If a victim or survivor chooses to take part in a private session they can, if they wish, be accompanied by a friend, family member or other support provider.

The Inquiry’s Terms of Reference require that all personal and sensitive information is kept appropriately protected and made available only to those who need to see it. At the close of the Inquiry, all of this information will be securely destroyed.

For those wishing to share their experience with the Inquiry, the first step is to contact the Inquiry with some basic information:

contact@iicsa.org.uk
0800 917 1000

For further information about how to share an experience with the Inquiry see:

https://www.iicsa.org.uk/share-your-experience