Child abuse 'likely when vulnerability meets power'

The sexual exploitation and abuse of children is most likely when vulnerability meets power.

Events of the last year have brought into focus an issue which has, in truth, been in our consciousness for much longer - that there is something about institutions that can amplify both vulnerability and power to a point where sexual abuse of children within them can become endemic.

A common position for those institutions confronted with their past failures is to admit that things did once go wrong but that they have put measures in place to stop it happening again.

There is a risk this will lead to complacency and this must not happen if we want to protect our children.

There is no doubt that more needs to be done - and this work has to be done by the very institutions which are allowing this abuse to take place.