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Justice system "unable to deliver redress for victims of child sexual abuse", inquiry finds

Neither the criminal or civil justice system is able to effectively deliver the redress that victims and survivors of child sexual abuse seek, with many finding the processes "baffling, frustrating, hostile and futile", the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) has said.

Its report on Accountability and Reparations followed 15 days of public hearings, during which the inquiry heard from 40 witnesses including insurance brokers, lawyers, police officers and survivors.

The report makes seven recommendations, which are set out below. They include that the Local Government Association and the Association of British Insurers should each produce codes of practice for responding to civil claims of child sexual abuse.

"The codes should include recognition of the long‑term emotional and psychiatric or psychological effects of child sexual abuse on victims and survivors, and acknowledgement that these effects may make it difficult for victims and survivors to disclose that they have been sexually abused and to initiate civil claims for that abuse," IICSA said.

The codes should "also include guidance that:

  1. claimants should be treated sensitively throughout the litigation process;
  2. the defence of limitation should only be used in exceptional circumstances;
  3. single experts jointly instructed by both parties should be considered for the assessment of the claimants’ psychiatric, psychological or physical injuries; and
  4. wherever possible, claimants should be offered apologies, acknowledgement, redress and support."

Commenting on the report's conclusions, IICSA said: “While some survivors said no amount of money could make up for what they had been through, others wanted financial compensation to recognise the abuse and to compensate for lost education or unfulfilled careers.

“Many simply sought acknowledgement or an apology from the institution where the abuse took place, while others spoke of having their ‘day in court’.”

The investigation considered five key case studies from the 1960s to the present day. Survivors of those institutions said the civil process was emotionally challenging and compounded the trauma they had already suffered as children, the Inquiry said.

“Many became embroiled in litigation with insurers which spanned decades or felt they were treated unfairly in court. Some successfully proved their case on the facts but were ultimately turned down due to the law of limitation, which puts a time limit on historical claims.”

The Inquiry said criminal compensation orders were very rarely used in child sexual abuse cases, with survivors often completely unaware of their existence. “Meanwhile, many witnesses said they struggled to access the right support, including advocacy or health services, during the often traumatic experience of seeking redress.”

Professor Alexis Jay OBE, Chair of the Inquiry, said: “For victims and survivors of child sexual abuse, the suffering does not stop when the abuse ends. In our investigation we found that the criminal and civil court proceedings for redress can be frustrating, hostile and ultimately futile.

“Many are left retraumatised and deeply unsatisfied with the often lengthy and confusing litigation. Equally concerning is the lack of clear signposting for the compensation and support which survivors could be entitled to.

“The Panel and I hope this report and its recommendations can help make seeking redress a less complex and distressing process for extremely vulnerable people.”

Signposting civil and criminal compensation

Recommendation 1:

The Ministry of Justice should revise the Victims’ Code to make clear that victims and survivors of child sexual abuse must be advised by the police that:

  1. They are entitled to seek civil compensation through the civil courts and, if they wish to do so, should seek legal advice – they should be signposted to specialist lawyers identified by the Ministry of Justice.
  2. They are entitled to assistance completing any application to the CICA, should they require it. Such assistance should be provided by independent sexual violence advisers or other suitably qualified and trained persons.
  3. At the conclusion of any criminal proceedings, the court may make orders for the payment of criminal compensation by convicted offenders to their victims.
  4. They are entitled to be referred to organisations supporting victims of sexual abuse. They should be signposted to the support services available in their local area.

The College of Policing should make changes to its guidance (currently Authorised Professional Practice) to require police officers to provide oral and written information on each of these matters.

The Ministry of Justice should also provide further information on how the new compliance framework, and any other developments, will improve compliance with the Code for victims and survivors of child sexual abuse.

The civil justice system

Recommendation 2:

The Local Government Association and the Association of British Insurers should each produce codes of practice for responding to civil claims of child sexual abuse.

The codes should include recognition of the long‑term emotional and psychiatric or psychological effects of child sexual abuse on victims and survivors, and acknowledgement that these effects may make it difficult for victims and survivors to disclose that they have been sexually abused and to initiate civil claims for that abuse.

The codes should also include guidance that:

  1. claimants should be treated sensitively throughout the litigation process;
  2. the defence of limitation should only be used in exceptional circumstances;
  3. single experts jointly instructed by both parties should be considered for the assessment of the claimants’ psychiatric, psychological or physical injuries; and
  4. wherever possible, claimants should be offered apologies, acknowledgement, redress and support.

Recommendation 3:

The government should introduce legislation revising the Compensation Act 2006 to clarify that section 2 facilitates apologies or offers of treatment or other redress to victims and survivors of child sexual abuse by institutions that may be vicariously liable for the actions or omissions of other persons, including the perpetrators.

Recommendation 4:

The Department for Work and Pensions should work with the Association of British Insurers to introduce a national register of public liability insurance policies. The register should provide details of the relevant organisation, the name of the insurer, all relevant contact details, the period of cover, and the insurance limit. These requirements should apply to policies issued and renewed after the commencement of the register, and those against which a claim has already been made.

The Financial Conduct Authority should make the necessary regulatory changes to compel insurers that provide public liability insurance to retain and publish details of all current policies.

Recommendation 5:

The Judicial College should revise its Guidelines for the Assessment of General Damages in Personal Injury Cases to include a freestanding section on the damages that may be appropriate in cases of child sexual abuse.

This new section of the guidelines should advise the court to take into account the nature and severity of the abuse itself, any short‑term and long‑term physical, emotional and psychiatric or psychological injuries, and the general effect of the abuse on the claimant’s capacity to function throughout their life. The latter may include the ability to sustain personal and sexual relationships, to benefit from education and to undertake paid employment.

Criminal compensation orders (CCOs)

Recommendation 6:

The Ministry of Justice should consult with the Sentencing Council, the Judicial College, the Crown Prosecution Service and other relevant bodies, in order to increase the use of CCOs, where appropriate, in cases involving child sexual abuse by, among other things, implementing guidance for the judiciary and prosecutors in the Crown Courts and Magistrates’ Courts.

Support through civil proceedings

Recommendation 7:

The International Underwriting Association of London should take the lead in the production of a code for the benefit of claimants who are bringing civil claims for child sexual abuse. The aim should be to produce a code, comparable to the Rehabilitation Code or for inclusion in that code, with the objective of ensuring that victims and survivors of child sexual abuse are able to access the therapy and support they need as soon as possible.

Source: Accountability and Reparations - Investigation Report, Independent Inquiry Child Sexual Abuse, September 2019.