UNITED KINGDOM
Shropshire Star
Figures released by West Mercia Police, which covers Shropshire, Herefordshire, and Worcestershire, show that between 2013 and 2015, 10 sexual offences had been reported as having taken place in a church, six in a cemetery or graveyard, three in an abbey, two in a chapel and one in a mosque.
Offences reported included rape, rape of a female aged 13, 14 or 15, rape of a female child under 13, rape of a male aged 13, 14 or 15, sexual activity with a female aged 13, 14 or 15, sexual assault on a female, sexual assault on a male, sexual assault of a female aged 13 or over, sexual assault of a female child under 13, sexual assault on a male child under 13, causing or inciting sexual activity with a male child aged 13, engaging in sexual activity with a girl aged 13 to 15 and exposure.
Michael Davie, church warden at St Michael’s Church in West Felton, labelled the figures – released after a Freedom of Information request – as “disturbing” but said safeguarding was a priority of the Church of England.
He said: “Matters like this have to be taken very seriously.
“The Diocese of Lichfield is the central body which deals with the safeguarding and protection of children and vulnerable adults, and they insist that anyone who takes a service or deals with children must be DBS checked, formerly CRB checks.
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