WELBY, ANGLICANS AND RELIGION A DIRE THREAT TO CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE– A CALL FOR ALL THOSE WHO KNEW TO RESIGN
Priests compiled a secret report as far back as 1982 that confirmed horrific attacks upon the young, were taking place at the hands of the vile evangelical, Anglican lay reader, and barrister Smythe. Eight other people were sent that report, which, with sinister direction, is marked ‘Strictly Confidential.’ All who knew chose not to bring him to justice and stop the abuse.
For decades this monstrous man, carried out his perverse violations, initially from his garden shed, inflicting so much damage, that blood poured from the beaten wounds. Then at Christian camps, in schools, in this country and then abroad, at least 115 lives were shattered by this evil manipulator who used the language of God and sin to manipulate and mangle victim after victim.In 1992, one such adolescent was found unresponsive, at the bottom of a pool, at one of Smythe’s camps. In 2000 the Ruston report was passed to the Titus Trust, who ignored it for the next 14 years.
All those in high office in the Church of England, in the Iwerne Trust and the Titus Trust, in Scripture Union, in powerful evangelical circles and from Winchester College said nothing to the authorities and failed to stop him.
In 2013 another brave victim, from among the many, spoke out but police said they did not have enough evidence to continue an investigation, but the church did not disclose what they knew. Two very senior Anglicans had themselves been abused by Smythe, and they too remained silent.
Not until 2017, when more victims came forward, were the police able to relaunch their investigation. The Makin report then finally commissioned by the Church of England, was due to be published in 2019, but was suppressed for 5 years, much to the anger of victims. Published finally, Welby, ‘a former friend’ of Smythe wriggled and squirmed with his Lambeth minders and Anglican ghouls insistent he would stay in office, but the outrage at this shameful cover up and his collusion with it has driven him ignominiously from office.
Adults are dangerous, looking first to cover their backs, protect their positions, safeguard their jobs, advantage their institutions and in the process stand by as children are betrayed. Add God, religion and church to the mix and children are in the gravest peril. It must become a legal requirement to report safeguarding issues and those who don’t ought to be charged with a criminal offence. Reporting is not easy.
I know personally the cost of reporting and the obstacles faced. When I bravely, with the support of my family and my church, acted to stop an abuser from gaining another position of authority over children, I faced resistance from the authorities, the police, the courts and from the judiciary. I was arrested four times, spent 4 nights in police cells, was threatened with jail and branded a criminal for breaching a restraining order that wrongly sought to stop my public campaigning against the abuser.
Perversely, even the abuser, had the police interview me under caution. However, I have nothing to regret as ultimately, by breaching the restraining order, I was successful in having the abuser barred from his job and barred from having access to children in the future.
The Church of England, Welby, Anglican bishops and evangelical leaders, Scripture Union, those involved in the Titus Trust and Iwerne Trust ought to hang their heads in shame and all who knew, but chose not to report Smythe should take responsibility for their immoral silence and resign from whatever positions they hold.