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In the North East & Cumbria, an independent review commissioned by the Church of England has resulted in an apology to three sisters who reported historical child sex abuse claims. Jenny, Wendy, and Christina Read disclosed being subjected to frequent abuse as young children by their father, a female church warden, and a male curate in night-time “sadistic rituals” at a church in north-east England. The failure of the Church to take action was acknowledged to have compounded the trauma experienced by the women, and Cleveland Police admitted to missing opportunities to investigate the claims, offering an apology for their oversight.
Obliged to waive their anonymity, the sisters revealed that they reported the abuse multiple times to both the Church and the police over the years, with insufficient action being taken in response. The Church, which failed to conduct any investigation, admitted that its initial response fell short of today’s standards. On the other hand, the police accepted their shortcomings in investigating the claims and expressed willingness to reopen the case if new evidence surfaced. The sisters, diagnosed with mental health conditions linked to childhood sexual abuse, have witnessed the Church’s reluctance to provide them with the evidence they sought regarding the actions taken on their reports, expressing their frustration.
The siblings’ father passed away in 1996, while church warden Mary Wairing, a family friend, died in 2015. Wendy bravely shared her traumatic experiences, recounting being raped by her father and the curate, forced to witness the abuse inflicted on her sisters. Jenny and Christina also disclosed instances of violence, physical, emotional, and spiritual abuse they endured. Despite the Church’s acknowledgment of past failures and the police’s apology for missed opportunities in investigating the claims, the process toward seeking justice remains an arduous journey for the sisters.
As the investigation unfolds, revelations of the Church of England’s inadequate responses and the police’s lapses in investigatory actions have raised concerns about the integrity of the institutions. The emergence of the sisters’ harrowing experiences has prompted calls for a shift in attitudes among Church leaders. With demands for transparency, accountability, and a reformation within the Church to ensure the safety of its members, the need for a profound transformation in institutional practices has become evident. For the sisters, overcoming the impact of trauma requires more than mere forgetfulness; it necessitates a heartfelt acknowledgment and genuine actions toward healing
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