Jesuits publish latest Safeguarding Report
The 2025 annual report from the Jesuit Safeguarding Office has just been published on the Irish Jesuit Province website ». It provides an updated statistical breakdown of the child sexual abuse allegations against members of the Order. The activities of the Jesuit Safeguarding Office are also detailed in the document, including case management of allegations, victim/survivor support, reparative responses, awareness-raising, policy and preventive strategy development, and safeguarding education and training.
The report is the first following the public naming of 15 Jesuits for child sexual abuse in February of last year, and the updated figures reflect the impact of that naming. In the foreword, Fr Shane Daly, Irish Jesuit Provincial, says, “The Jesuit Order recognises and acknowledges the harm caused to people who have experienced abuse. The moving encounters with those who were harmed, their pain and trauma, have deeply shaken us.” The Provincial stresses that safeguarding actions must be a priority for all Jesuits, colleagues and volunteers involved in the pastoral, spiritual, educational and social activities of the Jesuit Order’s apostolic work.
In addition to accompanying survivors, the Safeguarding Office worked intensively on policy and procedural updates. The office has also initiated a detailed consultation process with Jesuits and lay collaborators to formulate, from the bottom up, an ethics-in-ministry policy.
“Rebuilding trust in the Church and our institutions will be a long process,” the Provincial acknowledges, adding, “We hope that our annual report containing updated figures and safeguarding information will show our commitment to providing safe spaces and safe relationships for the children and adults with whom we minister and work. It is an important part of our ongoing process of atoning for past failures and the creation of real change for the future.”
