Institutional and clerical abuse in Northern Ireland

For decades, many hundreds of children and young people suffered physical, sexual and emotional abuse in children's homes and other institutions to which their care had been entrusted.

We are campaigning for inquiries into allegations of clerical child abuse and abuse suffered by residents of 'Magdalene Laundries' in Northern Ireland.

We campaigned successfully alongside victims for the Northern Ireland Executive to set up an inquiry into institutional child abuse. The inquiry, now up and running with Justice Anthony Hart in the chair, is an important step towards delivering justice for victims and survivors.

But not all victims of abuse are covered by the inquiry. Clerical child abuse, outside the setting of a residential institution, will not be covered by the inquiry. Nor will abuse suffered by former residents of Magdalene Laundry-type institutions, if they were aged 18 or over.

So, now we are supporting calls by victims of clerical child abuse and former residents of Magdalene Laundry-type institutions for the Northern Ireland authorities to ensure that independent and thorough investigations are carried out into their allegations of abuse, and the response of State, Church or other agencies to the abuse.

Campaign news

• “Conspiracy of silence” continues as Government blocks UK Inquiry into Kincora child abuse  21 October 2014
   
• Kincora: Home Secretary must answer victims’ calls for truth 14 October 2014

• Amnesty International asks MLAs to back inclusion of Kincora in Westminster inquiry 30 September 2014
   
• "Expect harrowing evidence of abuse" - Amnesty warns ahead of latest phase of Inquiry 29 September 2014

• Amnesty calls on new chair of sex abuse inquiry to investigate Kincora boys' home - 5 September 2014
   
• Child abuse inquiry: Official Secrets Act should be waived so intelligence officers can reveal cover-ups - 1 August 2014

• Kincora Boys’ Home should be included in new UK child abuse inquiry - 7 July 2014
   
• Pope's meeting with clerical sex abuse victims prompts renewed call for Northern Ireland inquiry - 7 July 2014

• One year on from Taoiseach apology, NI Magdalene survivors still waiting to hear from Ministers - 19 February 2014

• Northern Ireland clerical abuse body being undermined by Church - 17 February 2014

• UN Vatican child abuse report: Northern Ireland victims 'being ignored' by Executive - 5 February 2014

• Concerns with delays in evidence to child abuse inquiry - 28 January 2014

• 'Landmark day' in search for justice for child abuse victims - 13 January 2014

• Amnesty welcomes abuse inquiry progress and repeats call for justice for Magdalene women and clerical child abuse victims - 4 September 2013

• Amnesty welcomes United Nations recommendation to NI Executive to investigate Magdalene Laundry and clerical child abuse - 3 June 2013

• Northern Ireland: Magdalene Laundry and clerical abuse victims unite in call for inquiries - 29 May 2013

• Amnesty and victims repeat calls for Northern Ireland clerical abuse probe - 24 April 2013

• Amnesty raises Northern Ireland Magdalene Laundry cases with ministers - 19 February 2013

• Amnesty warns of 'justice gap' for Northern Ireland Magdalene Laundry victims - 5 February 2013

• Northern Ireland: Clerical child abuse victims call for public inquiry - 11 January 2013

Briefings

• Read our briefings on the case for investigations into clerical child abuse. Download the briefing (PDF)
• Read our briefing on the abuse suffered by former residents of Magdalene Laundry-type institutions. Download the briefing (PDF)
• You can also read our original briefing on institutional child abuse that called for the inquiry to be established. Download the briefing (PDF)

Inquiry submissions

• Read our submission to the Committee of the First and deputy First Minister, which is currently scrutinising the Bill. Download the submission (PDF)
• Read our full submission to the Interdepartmental Taskforce on Historical Institutional Abuse established by the Northern Ireland Executive. Download the submission (PDF)

Time for justice conference

In October 2010, we held a conference in Belfast which brought together victims and survivors, campaigners, commissioners and counsellors from the inquiry and redress processes in the Republic of Ireland and Scotland to share their experiences so that lessons may be learned in Northern Ireland. Download the conference report below.