….Anne Lawrence, chairwoman of the Minister and Clergy Sexual Abuse Survivors (MACSAS) support group, welcomed the St Edmund’s prayers but said a “practical response to the victims” was vital for the “intolerable situation to be resolved”.
She told BBC News: “Many victims cannot go into a church because they feel betrayed, many were actually abused inside a church and some are on ‘suicide watch’.
“Many are still bitter and very traumatised by the response from the Church when they first brought the allegations – the horrendous attempt to silence people.
“But fair play to St Edmund’s in having such an open and public display of reconciliation.”
Ms Lawrence added: “Rather than just saying we acknowledge all the past mistakes, the Church can draw a line under this by accepting liability, meeting the survivors and settling their claims.
“It is not about becoming rich, it is about restorative justice.”
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