The Archbishop of Canterbury The Most Reverend Justin Welby has blamed television for making “a culture of abuse” appear acceptable in society.
The Daily Mail reports that the Archbishop told CNN that the television industry had condoned “an era of abuse” in which TV and radio personalities abused children and teenagers.
He added that the Church of England is trying to “clear up” the legacy of an age in which the sexual abuse of children was considered “reasonably acceptable”.
Revelations about TV presenter and disc jockey Jimmy Savile led to the police launching Operation Yewtree, which investigates allegations of historic sex abuse. Several high-profile public figures have been convicted over allegations they abused children and teenagers – while others have been cleared of child abuse charges by the courts.
The Archbishop of Canterbury told CNN senior reporter Christiane Amanpour that – even when people knew “so and so was a bit dodgy” – no one made “too much fuss”:
“The biggest issue for us is the legacy of vast abuse in the days when in, if I may say so, also television – and all kinds of areas – it was considered relatively acceptable,” he said.
“We’ve gone through every file, back file of every living clergy person in the Church of England and looked for any signs that there was a problem and followed them up where there was.”
The Most Reverend Justin Welby was speaking after publication of a damning report into child abuse in the Church of England.
Child abuse allegations have also been made against members of other faiths and cultures in the UK, including Roman Catholic clergy – and members of the British Pakistani community who were at the centre of grooming and child abuse scandals in Rochdale and other towns and cities in the UK.
Operation Yewtree is ongoing – and many of Jimmy Savile’s victims are now considering legal action against the later entertainer’s estate for compensation.
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