The SCSSA website has been refreshed with new content and style.  Our LISTENING page assures abuse survivors that, if they come forward to tell of their experiences, they will be treated with respect and compassion.  It also advises anyone hearing a disclosure of abuse how to respond in the first instance.

We recognise that those who have been victims of abuse in the Catholic Church can find it very difficult to disclose to anyone. Often they feel angry, betrayed, isolated, marginalised and powerless. They want to be believed and to feel safe.

We are committed to listening respectfully and compassionately to anyone who has experienced abuse as a result of their contact with the Catholic Church in Scotland. We are committed to working with survivors so that their experiences can inform safeguarding practice and help us to prevent future harm.

Our staff and members of the SCSSA Board meet with survivors in different contexts – sometimes individually, at other times in groups. The experience of listening to accounts of the trauma that has been experienced by survivors continues to inform our work.