‘Eighty-five per cent of abuse goes unreported’
UP TO 85 per cent of child sex abuse in England goes unreported, and two-thirds is carried out by family or friends, a study by the Children’s Commissioner, Anne Longfield, suggests. The report Protecting Children From Harm: A critical assessment of child sexual abuse in the family network in England and priorities for action, published on Monday, also said that 75 per cent of victims were girls, and abuse was most likely to have been carried out at the age of nine. Most victims did not talk about the abuse until they had reached adolescence, or later. The chief executive of the Children’s Society, Matthew Reed, said that the figures were a “national scandal”.
Faith leaders called to address HIV testing
NATIONAL HIV Testing Week, which started on Sunday, has called on religious leaders to address HIV as a matter of urgency, after new figures suggest that about 3900 people in the black African community in the UK are unknowingly living with the virus. Those diagnosed later are nine times more likely to die within a year than those diagnosed earlier. The Dean of Manchester, the Very Revd Rogers Govender, said that faith leaders were “key” to promoting accessible testing within communities.
Bishops object to Draft Wales Bill
THE Bishops of the Church in Wales have said that the country needs a “far better mechanism for law-making than devolution” as set out in the Draft Wales Bill. Writing before a consultation of the Bill by the National Assembly for Wales, the Bishops welcomed aspects of the draft, but spoke of growing concerns about its clarity and longevity, which are in “danger of reversing rather than progressing” devolution in Wales.
Guinness world record for 16th-century Kent curate
A LAW firm started by a curate in Kent in 1570 has been recognised by Guinness World Records as the oldest in the world. The Revd Nicholas Hooper, an assistant curate at Tonbridge Parish Church, began the firm of Thomson, Snell and Passmore. He described himself as a “scrivener and drafter of documents”. The firm has passed through several hands in its history, and was known as Alleyn and Walker in the 19th century. Further partnerships in the 20th century led to a new set of names, until the present partnership was formed in 1968.
New chairman for Salisbury Cathedral School
SALISBURY Cathedral School has appointed a new chairman of governors to replace the Dean of Salisbury, the Very Revd June Osborne, who stepped aside over a conflict of interest about property between the cathedral and the school earlier this year. The new chairman is Robert Key, a former MP for Salisbury, who attended the school as a pupil, and who sent a son there to be a chorister. He described the school as “ambitious for growth and innovation”.
CORRECTION: In our account of the QuDos Award given to the University of Brighton for its hydrotherapy work with MS sufferers, we omitted to mention that the project was a partnership with Burrswood Hospital in Kent. Our apologies.