Leading Christian safeguarding organisation Thirtyone:eight has launched its first-ever manifesto, setting out wide-ranging recommendations for legislative change to protect the vulnerable.
The charity has identified three key themes across all four nations: Strengthening the safeguards in place for children and adults; Better protecting victims and survivors of abuse; Creating safer environments for everyone – whether in the physical space, digital or virtual space.
The recommendations in the document, Together We Can, range from tightening the laws on positions of trust and replacing the current list of potential settings and roles, to introducing mandatory reporting legislation and a full statutory definition of grooming.
Justin Humphreys, CEO of Thirtyoneeight, said: ‘As a safeguarding charity there are a whole range of different concerns in terms of how safe our communities can and should be.’
Speaking on UCB Radio following the manifesto launch, he added: ‘The church has a key opportunity to contribute to a wider range of issues. It was only recently that we’ve been able to bring significant influence to legislative change around areas of positions of trust – particularly areas of safeguarding practice relating to relationships held between adults and young people aged 16 to 18.
‘There are significant loopholes there as to how it applies to many faith-based or religious contexts.’
Susie Leafe, founder and director of charity Anglican Futures, said: ‘It is encouraging to see Thirtyone:eight are doing their part to improve the legal structures surrounding safeguarding. Good policy, legislation and guidance will be vital if we want our churches to be safer places – but legislation can only take us so far.
‘In recent years there have been too many situations where people have been afraid to raise concerns, or to act on the concerns brought to them, because they feared the consequences. There is an urgent need for evangelicals to address the culture of fear in our churches and wider networks because culture eats systems (as well as strategy) for breakfast.’
