UNITED KINGDOM
Christian Today
Harry Farley JUNIOR STAFF WRITER 17 February 2016
Peter Ball was found to have abused his position as the Bishop of Lewes in southern England.
A sex abuse survivor has accused senior clergy in the Church of England of repeated attempts to prevent him from sharing his story.
Graham Sawyer was the victim of sustained abuse by Bishop Peter Ball, former Bishop of Lewes and Bishop of Gloucester, during the 1970s and early 1980s. In a fringe meeting of General Synod on Tuesday night, Sawyer said he experienced “enduring harassment, vilification and intimidation” from senior clergy when he tried to speak about his experiences.
Sawyer, one of Ball’s 17 victims, said that anyone who “lifts their head above the parapet and dares to give testimony of their experiences” suffers consequences.
Bishop Ball, 83, was jailed in December 2015, for misconduct in public office and indecent assault. He was cautioned in 1993 for one act of gross indecency against a 16-year-old but was allowed to work in churches until 2010.
Tuesday’s gathering, held in Methodist Central Hall, was organised by the Church Reform Group and the National Council of Hindu Temples. Sawyer, who is chair of the Church Reform Group, said Ball and some of his friends were behind a “web of hate and bullying” seeking to cover up abuse crimes.
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