Do the religious and faith communities have faith, confidence to engage the police and regulatory bodies?

Do the religious and faith communities have faith, confidence to engage the police and regulatory bodies? A new report be carried out by the Michael Trust.

In light of the recent IICSA Inquiry - The investigation is thematic and will review the current child protection policies, practices and procedures in religious institutions that have a significant presence in England and Wales. Th fact that the Inquiry will look at religions with a significant presence in England and Wales including non conformist Christian denominations, the Jehovah’s Witnesses, Baptists, Methodists, Islam, Judaism, Sikhism, Hinduism and Buddhism will fall under the remit of this investigation.
Also that religious settings such as mosques, synagogues, churches and temples are in scope. Places of faith tuition such as Muslim madrassahs and Christian Sunday schools and places where children and young people gather in connection with their religious beliefs, including youth groups and camps will also be investigated by the Inquiry.

The MT feels it is time again to see how the religious community reacts to this Inquiry and their views. In addition to how the community feels it now gets on with police and regulatory bodies.

What we are doing: Above is the title of a new investigatory report the The Michael Trust will be conducting. This is the first report since 1993! We will be asking religious organisations and faith based groups and communities and will be seeking their views on how they engage or not engage with authorities and their views on safeguarding including CSA. We hope to do this with a national charity that specializes in helping CSA survivors and safeguarding.

Domestic violence or sexual abuse can occur in any relationship, regardless of ethnicity, religion, class, gender, age or lifestyle. Religious Hate Crime is on the increase especially in the religious and faith based community. Yet there are concerns that the police and local authorities such as Children's Welfare Services are failing to connect with

religious and faith based communities, and in particular within Muslim, Jewish and other religious communities such as Jehovah's Witnesses.

Why: We are keen to learn the views of religious and faith based groups and communities on safeguarding within their community or group. The Michael Trust dealt with the unsubstantiated claims of Satanic Ritual Abuse that swept the globe in the late 1980s - 1990s as many people from alternative communities were wrongly accused. Read more here under past cases. The trust is keen to learn what the changes in how CSA crimes and reports to Children's Services have changed since 1993 when we last looked at this terrible crime.

What: We will be contacting everyone on our contact list in the United Kingdom, this will include members of these organisations and the groups and organisations themselves. We hope that many will take part.

How: This report will be submitted along with a similar report done by our Co-founder who will be asking similar questions to the Police Services and Children's Services. Both reports will be submitted to members of Parliament when concluded. Responses can be anonymous only the MT will know who you are.

Summary: Agencies must not downplay ethnic, ideological or religious dimensions of abuse if it means better identifying the perpetrators, bringing them to justice and supporting the victims. Are religious and faith based communities enjoying free speech in Britain?

This report will highlight the challenges faced by the religious and faith based population of Britain. It will also examine religious and faith based communities and organisations attitudes to law enforcement and other regulatory agencies, including how individuals have been treated when reporting crimes to the police or helping police with their inquiries. What their views are on safeguarding within their groups or communities?

Initial questions proposed for the report are; 

In the view of religious and alternative faith based communities;

• Are the police and Children's Services and other agencies equipped to fulfill their responsibilities within religious and faith based communities?
• Is official current guidance provided a help or a hindrance?
• Which changes are needed to improve operational standards and community policing
• What are the main barriers facing victims of Hate Crimes, Child Sex Abuse, Domestic Violence? 
• Are Religious and Faith based communities disproportionately affected? 
• Are there genuine concerns about the authorities wrongly upsetting Religious and Faith Based Communities
• Are religious and faith based communities in Britain enjoying free speech?
• Are people really allowed to have freedom of religion and belief in the UK?

Above are questions submitted to us from some communities as possible questions and they will be amended as before launch. 

Thank you for your suggestions and for getting in touch. We started this report in March 28th 2020.