A BENCH to commemorate the bravery of victims and survivors of child sexual abuse was unveiled in Sonning last week.
Maidenhead MP Theresa May joined Professor Alexis Jay to mark the moment.
It is part of a project that is seeing benches installed across the country. Each has a plaque inscribed with words of hope.
The borough’s bench has been placed in King George V Field in the village, and its motto reads: “Every child deserves love, guidance, understanding and protection”. This was a message from a victim and survivor who gave evidence to an independent inquiry into child sexual abuse.
The published report was considered by MPs earlier in the summer.
At the launch, Professor Jay paid tribute to the thousands of victims and survivors who made a contribution to the Inquiry’s work:
“We now have over 100 benches and plaques around England and Wales, a fitting tribute to all victims and survivors.
“The immense contribution victims and survivors have made to this Inquiry is something we will be forever grateful for; their experiences have informed every aspect of our work and have helped to ensure children now, and in the future, are better protected from this devastating crime.”
Mrs May, whose constituency includes Sonning, established the Inquiry when she was Home Secretary in 2014.
She said: “I hope the Inquiry’s legacy benches will send a powerful message to victims and survivors that finally, they have been heard.
“For too long, no one wanted to talk about child sexual abuse, preferring instead to hide it away and file it in the ‘too difficult’ box. That is no longer the case.
“I’d like to thank Professor Alexis Jay and her panel for the work they have done in helping society confront this issue and for finding ways to help put an end to this appalling crime.
“And I’d like to pay tribute to all those who have had the courage to speak out and who did so to save the next generation of children from the abuse they suffered.”
The Inquiry’s legacy benches and plaques are being installed across more than 150 locations throughout England and Wales, with each message chosen to prompt reflection or to spark conversation.
The project stands alongside the conclusions of the final Report, supporting real change and ensuring the vital public conversation around child sexual abuse continues beyond the lifetime of the Inquiry.
For more details, log on to: https://www.iicsa.org.uk/
