Compensation for Church of England abuse
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Liz Duncan the lawyer who leads the Abuse Compensation team and is a partner in Slee Blackwell Solicitors has spoken to BBC News about compensation for Church of England abuse.
Liz was asked to speak to BBC News following announcement of a proposed new scheme by the Church of England to pay compensation to people who have suffered physical, sexual, emotional or spiritual abuse by a representative of the Church of England.
Details of the scheme are yet to be announced. Church leaders have indicated that it will adopt a “broad and generous approach”, but as it stands the initiative is short on detail.
The Bishop of Truro is quoted as saying that the scheme will provide ‘genuine redress’ and offer ‘genuine regret’, together with ‘repentance’ for what has happened.
The Church is not sure how many abuse survivors will come forward, but a sum of £150 million has initially been set aside.
As well as offering financial redress, it is understood that the Church will also provide emotional and therapeutic support, together with an apology.
Liz told the BBC that she hopes the scheme will give survivors the opportunity of finally achieving “clarity, closure, and justice.”
Church of England leaders announced their intention to settle compensation claims quickly as long ago as 2020, and critics are saying that the Church’s response has been far too slow.
Liz is monitoring developments closely and will be reporting back when full details of the compensation scheme are released. In the meantime abuse survivors still remain in the dark, with many fearing that a detailed application process runs the danger of re-traumatising them.