IICSA Truth Project

The Independent Inquiry Into Child Sexual Abuse are running an awareness campaign about it’s Truth Project. This is a national campaign for Wales and England and you may have already seen Truth Project billboards and advertisements in press, magazines and on social media and radio. The Truth Project has been set up so that victims and survivors of child sexual abuse can share their experience in a confidential and supportive setting. The Project will help the Inquiry to investigate organisations and institutions that have failed to protect children from sexual abuse.

During my time as the Children’s Commissioner for Wales I had many conversations with people who had suffered abuse at some point in their lives. It is never easy to talk about such things and when someone opens up about their own experience it can be very powerful. I never took such conversations for granted and tried as best I could to listen, to understand and to do something with what was shared.

We have all seen in the high profile cases in sport, in care homes and in some faith organisations, how people who have spoken out about their experience have helped us to recognise how abuse happens and what we can all do to make our organisations as safe as possible. The Truth Project might represent the only chance someone might have to speak out about their own experience. That is why the National Independent Safeguarding Board in Wales is supporting the Independent Inquiry in raising awareness about the Truth Project.

The link to the Truth Project website is https://www.truthproject.org.uk/i-will- be-heard and the social media toolkit for organisations is also available here.

Please help to share information about the Truth Project by sharing and using these materials. It is important we do as much as possible to raise awareness so that anyone who might want to come forward has the information they need.

Keith Towler
National Independent Safeguarding Board Wales