4. As discussed in Part B, the 2018 Bullivant review identified 931 separate complaints (ie allegations or concerns of child sexual abuse) against clergy, members of religious institutes and lay workers (paid and voluntary) reported to the Church between 1970 and 2015.[1] Of the 931 complaints:
The data returns from the dioceses and religious institutes identified 10 reports (1 percent) that should have been referred to the statutory agencies but were not.[4]
5. The figure below shows the year-by-year breakdown of whether the complaints were reported.
6. During the 1970s and 1980s, there were no or few reports to the statutory authorities.[5] Victims and complainants repeatedly told us that they reported their allegations to the Church but that external agencies were not involved.[6] Complaints to statutory authorities increased steadily throughout the 1990s and 2000s, peaking in 2010 when 84 referrals were made.
7. In his report, Professor Stephen Bullivant analysed the reasons for non-reporting.
In the 11 cases where there was no reporting, the dioceses and religious institutes recorded that there were “insufficient details” for a referral to be made. This included, for example, complaints where the alleged perpetrator could not be identified.[7]