1. This investigation is concerned with the nature and extent of, and the institutional response to, allegations of child sexual abuse within the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales.
2. Between 1970 and 2015, the Church received more than 3,000 complaints of child sexual abuse against more than 900 individuals connected to the Church. Those complaints involved over 1,750 victims and complainants. Civil claims against dioceses and religious institutes have resulted in millions of pounds being paid in compensation. Even so, the true scale of child sexual abuse is likely to be greater than these figures.
3. The Inquiry has held public hearings in the following case studies:
4. The Inquiry’s fourth public hearing, held in October and November 2019, examined the extent of institutional failings by the Roman Catholic Church in England and Wales to protect children from sexual abuse and its current safeguarding regime. This report considers the evidence heard in that hearing and also deals with cross-cutting themes and issues identified by the Inquiry throughout the investigation, including the case studies.