Board of Deputies President reacts to child sexual abuse report

Board of Deputies President Marie van der Zyl has reacted to the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse’s report on child protection in religious organisations and settings.

Marie said: “The Board of Deputies has now reflected on the IICSA report with the due care it deserves. We thank IICSA for its thorough and important work and support its recommendations. It is critical that we as a community take child safeguarding with the utmost seriousness. We will be engaging with synagogue bodies, youth movements and other relevant organisations and will be responding to the report. A number of leaders and movements have already responded very positively and we commend them for it. We must ensure that there are no gaps and we must all be unequivocal that any incident of Child Sexual Abuse should be referred initially and without delay to the police and social services. The cost of not doing so is terrible suffering and broken lives. The protection of our children is paramount.”