Recommendation 70: Include clergy in position of trust definition

I should first like to assure the Inquiry that the criminal law already provides a number of protections to deal with non-consensual and unwanted sexual activity and abuse. These offences rightly carry robust sentences to reflect the seriousness of such offending. We recognise that there are deeply-held concerns about those who might abuse their position of power over a 16 or 17-year-old to pressure them into engaging in sexual activity. Such behaviour is likely to be caught by the robust laws we already have in place, and I want to actively encourage anyone who feels that they are a victim of sexual abuse to contact the police. We remain determined that such activity should be investigated, prosecuted and punished, no matter what the perpetrator’s occupation or relationship to the individual might be. We want to ensure that existing offences are being used effectively to tackle this behaviour, and that those working with young people understand their responsibilities and act appropriately. The Ministry of Justice, working closely with colleagues across Government, has already taken forward a review of existing offences, to ensure that they are working as effectively as possible and are clearly understood.