A call has been made for a full public inquiry into historical clerical abuse in Northern Ireland after a report outlined experiences including exorcisms, physical violence and sexual abuse at faith-based settings connected with the Catholic Church and Protestant churches between 1922 and 2024.
Report Details Abuse
The report heard accounts of religious rituals used to abuse children, including “exorcising demons” by “laying on of hands” on intimate parts of a girl’s body, and a priest using the sacrament of confession to coerce a boy to stimulate his sexual pleasure. A culture of violence in schools was also described, with one person recalling witnessing a “fist on the back of the head” and a “desk breaking in two.” Another participant described a pastor beating them so badly they believed they had broken ribs.
Previous Inquiry and New Research
The Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry (HIAI) previously revealed sexual, physical and emotional abuse in religious and secular institutions from 1922 to 1995. This prompted further work to examine historical clerical child abuse, as well as Mother and Baby Homes and Magdalene institutions. Following the publication of the historical clerical child abuse (HCCA) research reports, the Executive Office said the findings will help shape future policy and ensure victims and survivors receive support.
Legal Firm Calls for Public Inquiry
Legal firm KRW Law hailed an “important step towards acknowledging the experiences of victims and survivors” but stressed this “must only be the beginning of a much larger process of truth recovery and accountability.” The firm said the reports “highlight only a fraction of the abuse that occurred and leave significant questions unanswered.”
KRW Law solicitor Gary Duffy said only a public inquiry will have the powers to establish the full truth, adding survivors have already waited too long for accountability. “We welcome the publication of the HCCA research reports and recognise the significant work undertaken by those involved in bringing forward the experiences of victims and survivors,” he said. “However, it is clear that these reports represent only the tip of the iceberg. The reality is that many survivors are still searching for answers about how abuse was allowed to occur, what church authorities knew, and how allegations were handled when concerns first emerged. Victims and survivors deserve the same level of scrutiny and accountability that was provided through the Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry and the Mother and Baby Homes Inquiry. Only a statutory public inquiry will have the powers necessary to compel witnesses, obtain documentation and establish the full truth. For that reason, it is now imperative that the Executive move without delay to establish a full public inquiry into historical clerical abuse. Survivors have waited far too long for answers, accountability and justice.”
