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We risk looking at child sexual abuse only through a rear view mirror

The Commission of Investigation into historical abuses is important, but we cannot let our focus on the past blind us to needs of the present

If more time is lost, online abuses may become the subject of inquiries many years from now, similar to the ones we conduct into historical crimes and safeguarding failures
Deirdre Kenny
Mon Sept 09 2024 - 05:45

The scoping inquiry into historical sexual abuse in schools has once again brought the issue into our national consciousness. The stark statistics of nearly 2,400 allegations across 308 schools had many people reviewing the report to see if their school was included.

When such a volume of disturbing evidence comes to light, victims who have already taken steps to deal with their abuse are forced to revisit their trauma. Others who were abused, but have never disclosed to anyone what they endured, may hopefully be encouraged to finally seek help.

The report highlights the systemic culture of abuse and silence. Survivors described how authority figures and other adults were often aware of the abuse taking place, but failed to intervene or take appropriate action. Sometimes, the abuse happened in front of the entire classroom. One of 149 people to give interviews to the scoping inquiry described how the school principal was aware of what his colleagues were doing. He would “open the door, see the abuse taking place, even rape in progress, and just close the door again”.

This created an environment of silence and complicity in schools and communities that allowed the abuse to continue unchecked.

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The report echoes findings from previous investigations – Ferns, Ryan and Murphy – highlighting a pattern of an institutional failure to protect children. The educational settings meant to be tasked with protecting children have too often failed in this, their most fundamental duty. There are recurring themes from each inquiry, which uncovered similar shortcomings and point to a deeper societal issue in confronting and addressing this uncomfortable reality of childhood sexual abuse.

While the establishment of the Commission of Investigation into historical abuses is important, we risk only looking at child sexual abuse through a rear view mirror. We cannot let our focus on the past blind us to needs of the present.

The digital world has created opportunities for our children, but it also poses significant risks. Where once children were preyed upon by those in their communities, the reach into their lives by forces that would exploit them is now global. This poses risks we, as a society, perhaps have begun to understand but have not faced up to by putting in place the safeguards required. If more time is lost, these online abuses may become the subject of inquiries many years from now, similar to the ones we conduct into historical crimes and safeguarding failures. Except they are being committed in the present.

[ Keeping children safe in the online world of social media platforms ]

Research published this week by CyberSafeKids, Left to Their Own Devices, paints a worrying picture of children’s online safety. The research tells us that 8 per cent of eight-to-12-year-olds gamed with strangers online. Almost 65 per cent were contacted by a stranger during an online game. Some 55 per cent of eight-to-12-year-olds did not tell a parent when bothered by harmful content or unsolicited contact, rising to 63 per cent for 12-to-14-year-olds.

The digital landscape has created new avenues for potential abuse, mirroring the challenges faced in physical spaces. This parallel emphasises the need for a comprehensive approach that addresses both online and offline risks to children. While the contexts differ, there are similarities in how known risks to children are not being adequately addressed by tech companies, social media platforms and our legislators. We risk repeating failures from the past by placing a blind trust in modern institutions.

The Left to Their Own Devices research emphasises the need for proactive measures to protect children in the digital space, much as past inquiries have called for stronger child protection measures in physical institutions.

Perhaps most troubling, data from the Central Statistics Office suggests that incidence rates of child sexual abuse have not decreased. Some 29 per cent of Irish adults experienced sexual violence as a child, with women reporting higher rates – at 36 per cent – compared to men, at 22 per cent.

These figures demonstrate that despite increased awareness and improved legislation, child sexual abuse remains a serious problem in modern Ireland, demanding a radical shift in approach. Our collective inability to confront this uncomfortable reality has allowed childhood sexual abuse to persist, causing immeasurable harm. It is time we face the complexity of childhood sexual abuse and take a systemic approach.

There needs to be a societal shift in how we perceive, discuss and respond to childhood sexual abuse, or it will persist for generations

Tackling it requires co-ordinated efforts across our society, including educators, parents and bystanders, policymakers, and the tech industry. It calls for a shift in societal attitudes, improved education and support systems, and a focus on both prevention and intervention.

Challenging the culture of silence and disbelief should not be the responsibility of victims and survivors. There needs to be a societal shift in how we perceive, discuss and respond to childhood sexual abuse, or it will persist for generations.

Ireland has made progress in many areas of social justice and child protection. However, our focus on preventing child sexual abuse remains wholly inadequate. It’s time to move beyond paralysis and denial. Only by facing this issue head-on, with empathy for survivors and a commitment to prevention, can we hope to create a safer future for all Irish children.

Deirdre Kenny is chief executive of One in Four, which provides support for adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse: +353 1 662 4070 / info@oneinfour.ie / www.oneinfour.ie