The people’s tribunal

Alan Collins

alan.collins@hughjames.com

The People’s Tribunal was/is a grassroots entity established in the UK by child abuse survivors and their supporters to create their own inquiry into institutional child abuse.

The independent inquiry, led by a panel of four judges, listened to evidence spanning four decades from survivors and experts. A common theme throughout these accounts showed that a series of institutional failures prevented abuse from being reported; and that there are clear links between children being rendered vulnerable by these failures and predatory abuse on an organised scale

It made a series of recommendations including the establishment of a permanent and open forum for victims to share experiences and give evidence, better links between mental health services and police investigations, and training for police and judiciary professionals on the effects of undisclosed sexual abuse.

The purpose of the presentation will be to explain:

  • How communities can create their own justice/redress mechanisms
  • The benefits of such mechanisms
  • The risks and difficulties
  • Misplaced assumptions viz survivors their aims, what justice might look like, redress
  • Lessons that the People’s Tribunal can teach us.