The recent resignation of Archbishop Justin Welby in response to the Church of England’s safeguarding failures has sparked important conversations about abuse, accountability and reform.
Are Resignations Enough?
When a high-profile figure like Archbishop Welby resigns, it’s easy to view it as a sign that justice is being served, and in some ways, it is. His decision to step down signals an acknowledgement that under his leadership, the Church failed to protect vulnerable people from abuse. However, resignations alone cannot fix the systemic problems within the Church of England. If we focus solely on removing individuals from their posts, we risk overlooking the root cause – a deeply entrenched culture of failure when it comes to safeguarding.
While further resignations may feel like an appropriate response, they won’t change the way the Church handles safeguarding—or rather, mishandles it. The true solution lies in structural reform. As Professor Alexis Jay’s comprehensive report ‘The Future of Safeguarding in the Church of England’ makes clear, the Church needs to establish truly independent safeguarding bodies that operate outside the control of dioceses. These bodies would have full responsibility for managing cases, supporting survivors and setting consistent safeguarding standards across the board. This is the kind of systemic change that the Church must embrace if it is to regain the trust of the public and truly prioritise the safety of its most vulnerable members.
The Impact on Survivors
The ongoing news coverage of safeguarding failures, especially within trusted institutions like the Church of England, can have a powerful effect on survivors of abuse. For some, the public accountability of high-profile figures may feel like a long-overdue moment of justice. It can be reassuring to see that their voices are being heard and that those responsible are being held to account.
However, for others, these stories can reopen old wounds, bringing back painful memories of their own experiences. Survivors may feel retraumatised by the ongoing media coverage or by hearing about the failures within institutions they once trusted. This is why it is so important that survivors know they are not alone in their healing journey.
At NAPAC, we offer a safe, confidential space for survivors to reach out when they need support. Many survivors contact us after hearing news stories like these, and our support line is here for anyone who needs to talk, process, or simply feel heard, whether their experience was recent or decades ago.
Preventing Abuse
When it comes to preventing abuse, the question of punishment versus rehabilitation is complex. Prison serves an essential function in keeping society safe and ensuring justice for victims, particularly in the most serious of cases. But if we truly want to address the root causes of abuse, we need to focus on early intervention and rehabilitation.
Organisations like the Lucy Faithfull Foundation have pioneered early intervention programmes, such as their Shore resource, which offers anonymous support to young people struggling with harmful sexual thoughts and behaviours. By providing this kind of support, we can help individuals address issues before they lead to abuse.
Rehabilitation also plays an important role. While prison is crucial for delivering justice and preventing reoffending in serious cases, rehabilitation can help break the cycle of abuse. Offering support to offenders as well as victims ensures a more balanced approach that tackles the root causes of abuse, rather than merely punishing its symptoms. A combination of early intervention, punishment and rehabilitation is the most effective way to create a safer society in the long term.
The Criminal Justice System
The criminal justice system has made significant strides in recent years, particularly in how it responds to child sexual exploitation and abuse. National policing initiatives such as the CSE Taskforce – which brings together law enforcement, third sector organisations, tech and analysis capabilities – have made it easier to identify and stop abuse early. Policing also has made tremendous efforts to improve their response to victims and survivors of sexual abuse and exploitation.
Challenges remain, however. Delays in the court system, for instance, can leave survivors waiting years for justice, and many may feel that their voices are ignored during the legal process. It’s important to remember, though, that justice doesn’t always happen in a courtroom. For many survivors, positive outcomes come in different forms—whether through support networks, therapy, or even restorative justice. It’s about making sure survivors feel heard and supported, whether or not the legal process delivers a traditional verdict.
At NAPAC, we encourage survivors to share their experiences when they’re ready. Every voice that is able to speak out contributes to the wider movement for a more compassionate and effective criminal justice system – one that truly works for all survivors.