Supporting victims and survivors of abuse

Southwell Minster works with the Church of England and the Diocese of Southwell & Nottingham to respond well to victims and survivors of abuse.

Talking about experiencing abuse is never easy. We hope that you feel safe to talk to us at Southwell Minster.

This is our promise to you.

If you have something you want to talk about, we want you to feel:

  • Believed and listened to.
  • Valued as a whole person.
  • Able to make choices and decisions about what to tell us.
  • Well supported in choosing whether you want a referral or an introduction to other people who can help you, such as the Police or other agencies who can help.
  • Supported to be able to talk to someone (if you wish to) to explain how what happened made you feel and what it means to you now.

We will:

  • Help you understand that we cannot always keep information confidential – we will tell you who needs to be told, and why.
  • Tell you about what is happening in your case regularly.
  • Support you in continuing to come to church, if that is what you want to do.
  • Support you to find help from victims’ support services and charities.
  • Offer you support by the Church from someone specially trained as a listener, if that is what you want.
  • Give you clear information about what has happened as a result of what you have told us.

If you have been a victim of any abuse or need advice, you can contact the Cathedral Safeguarding Officer.

 

Church-Based Abuse

If you have been the victim of church-based abuse, see the following document: Responding well to victims and survivors of abuse or visit this page on the Church of England website: Responding Well to Victims and Survivors of Abuse | The Church of England

If you would like to seek support from someone outside the Church, agencies are listed here.

Further information is available on the Diocese website: Survivor Support and Engagement – Diocese of Southwell & Nottingham.

 

Domestic Abuse

Domestic abuse can happen to anyone, is extremely damaging and is a crime. If you have concerns about someone’s immediate safety, contact the police on 999. If you want to talk to someone about your concerns, you can:

 

Modern Slavery and Human Trafficking

The Clewer Initiative is enabling Church of England dioceses and wider Church networks to develop strategies to detect modern slavery in their communities and help provide victim support and care.

If you suspect that someone is the victim of modern slavery or human trafficking, contact the Cathedral Safeguarding Officer at safeguarding@southwell.anglican.org or visit the Clewer Initiative website to find out how to report it: The Clewer Initiative | Report It