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IICSA published its final Report in October 2022. This website was last updated in January 2023.

IICSA Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse

Child sexual abuse in the context of religious institutions

Experiences of support

A minority of victims and survivors spoke about accessing any kind of support services as children. As adults, most participants reported receiving both informal and formal support, with the support of family members and counsellors often mentioned. Experiences of formal support were very mixed. Overall, victims and survivors alluded to the idea that they had to overcome systemic issues within support services – such as long waiting lists and the limited availability of some services – and constantly fight to receive the support they required.

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