5,000 child abuse victims set to talk to investigators
MORE than 5,000 victims are set to come forward to Scotland’s child abuse inquiry, sparking fears over a huge surge in workload for the police.
Campaigners representing survivors of abuse believe ‘upwards of 5,000’ victims are likely to contact the statutory inquiry into claims of historical abuse in institutional care.
Police have warned the number of sexual offences they investigate – which have al r e ady hugely increased – will soar further, which could put massive pressure on the cash-strapped force.
Some of the victims will have been involved in abuse scandals that have already come to light, while others will be recounting their ordeals for the first time.
Evidence given to the inquiry which points to possible criminality will be referred to police and the publicity surrounding the inquiry is likely to lead to a marked ‘spike’ in police workload.
The Mail reported yesterday that some victims are angry about the appointment of a QC – Susan O’Brien – as chairman of the Scottish Government’s probe, as they had hoped for a judge. The remit is also narrower than they had demanded, as it will exclude key scandals such as evidence of a paedophile ring operating at the heart of Scotland’s legal establishment, currently the focus of a Police Scotland investigation.
Alan Draper, parliamentary liaison officer for In Care Abuse Survivors, met senior officers at Police Scotland’s new sexual abuse unit yesterday. He said: ‘The police are clearly concerned about the workload implications.
‘ I told them there could be upwards of 5,000 victims coming forward and that is clearly going to have big repercussions for them.
‘We need to be sure they are resourced properly to deal with claims of abuse, being made in many cases for the first, time by thousands of victims.’
Assistant Chief Constable Malcolm Graham of Police Scotland said he anticipated that ‘reports of child abuse will continue to rise as victims gain confidence in the systems of support and investigation, as a result of the public inquiry’.
He added: ‘Child abuse investigations have become increasingly complex, requiring highly trained i nvestigators with a range of specialist skills. Against that backdrop and a growing number of such investigations, we recently launched the National Child Abuse Investigation Unit (NCAIU).
‘The setting up of the NCAIU ensures all local policing divisions and all communities have access to specialist support.
‘One of the roles of the NCAIU is to lead or support on large scale, complex, protracted or crossBorder investigations involving high-profile individuals or those who work in positions of trust.’
The i nquiry, which will be established by October 1, will have the power to compel witnesses to attend and give evidence.
Education Secretary Angela Constance previously pledged that where crimes are uncovered the ‘full force of the law’ would be used to bring those responsible to justice.
But evidence will not be taken under oath as ministers want the inquiry to take an ‘inquisitorial’ rather than ‘adversarial’ approach.
A Scottish Government spokesman said: ‘This Government will always be on the side of victims of abuse. We will continue to liaise closely with Police Scotland, the Crown Office and others to consider the impact the inquiry may have on resources.’
‘Police concerned about workload’