The Church of England is facing as many as 3,300 potential sex abuse cases in the form of concerns and allegations, as revealed by the Church’s lead bishop on safeguarding issues.
The Times reported on Thursday that Peter Hancock, bishop of Bath and Wells, shared the latest figures, which concern sex abuse against children and vulnerable adults reaching up to 2016, during a three-day meeting of the General Synod in London.
Hancock did not make it clear whether all the complaints are new or a combination with longstanding ones, but even if a fraction of them are upheld, the CofE might be forced into paying millions of dollars in compensation fees.
The figures he shared revealed that 18 percent of the 3,300 cases involve Church officers, most likely to be members of clergy, while others accused in the church setting include lay individuals and other churchgoers.
Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby and other top church leaders have faced months of criticism about the handling of various sex abuse scandals, including the case of former Bishop Peter Ball, who was jailed…
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