By Gurnam Singh | Opinion |
The recent resignation of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Justin Welby, over a sexual abuse scandal concerning John Smyth and 100’s of victims has once again drawn attention to the failure of religious Institutions to practice what they preach. Whether religious or secular—are entrusted with significant responsibility, particularly when it comes to caring for vulnerable people. But as we have seen in multiple high-profile cases of sexual abuse, a failure to safeguard and protect those in their care can be catastrophic, not only for the victims but for the very survival of these institutions.
In recent years, the world has been rocked by numerous abuse cases and the failure to safeguard. The scandal surrounding Jeffrey Epstein is one of the most shocking examples of this failure. Epstein, a financier with connections to powerful figures across politics, business, and entertainment, was revealed to have exploited and abused young girls for decades. His death in 2019 brought no closure to the victims or accountability for those who enabled his predatory behavior.
The Epstein case has exposed how systems of power, privilege, and corruption can shield perpetrators from justice for years, even as countless lives are destroyed. A more recent example of a powerful individual being allowed to get away with sytemic abuse for decades concerns the late Mohammed Alfaed who was the owner of the world famous Harrods department store in London and Paris. The scale of his abuse and the collusion of, amongst other agencies, the Metropolitan Police, remains to be fully exposed.
For sure there is no reason to single out religious institutions in particular; abuse takes place across the board. However, given their assumed role as upholders of divine and moral standards, they do carry a heavier burden of responsibility. Now, on top of the ongoing crisis of the Roman Catholic Church, we see the the Church of England grappling with its own scandal, with criticism directed squarely at Archbishop Justin Welby and the institution’s broader leadership. The failure to act in the face of evidence is creating a crisis of trust that threatens the Church’s very future. The criticisms are so severe that there is growing concern about whether the Church will survive this latest scandal.
But the truth is, this is not a unique problem. I believe that most, if not all, religious institutions—especially those that have historically ignored safeguarding issues—will eventually have to confront their own failures. Many institutions, including Mosques, Gurdwaras, Mandhirs, Synagogues and other faith based institutions have been slow to acknowledge or address abuse within their ranks, and this will only become more difficult to ignore as society demands accountability.
Repentance, reflection, and a commitment to change are the only ways forward. Institutions that truly want to survive and thrive in the future must recognize the gravity of their failures, make reparations, and put systems in place to prevent further abuse. Failure to do so will lead to their eventual demise—and, to be blunt, I won’t shed a tear if it happens. These institutions must choose the path of accountability and safeguarding, or face the consequences of their neglect.
In a world that increasingly values transparency and accountability, no institution—religious or secular—is immune from the consequences of failing to protect the vulnerable. The time for action is now, before more lives are damaged, and before these institutions collapse under the weight of their own inaction.
Gurnam Singh is an academic activist dedicated to human rights, liberty, equality, social and environmental justice. He is an Associate Professor of Sociology at University of Warwick, UK. He can be contacted at Gurnam.singh.1@warwick.ac.uk
* This is the opinion of the writer and does not necessarily represent the views of Asia Samachar.
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