Goddard Resignation As Head of Child Abuse Inquiry is Strange

Dame Lowell Goddard has resigned as the head of the independent inquiry into child sexual abuse.

Dame Lowell Goddard, the head of the independent inquiry into child abuse, has resigned as the head of the independent inquiry into sexual child abuse.

The New Zealand high court judge said the probe had already made “very real gains for victims. Set up in March to examine claims made against public and private institutions, Goddard had stated she would deliver her judgment without  fear or favoritism.

It is unknown why Goddard has resigned from the post, but the most likely reason is intimidation from influential people high up the power structure.

Home Secretary Amber Rudd said a new chairperson would be appointed and work would continue “without delay”.

The reasons for Justice Goddard’s resignation are unclear but BBC home affairs correspondent Tom Symonds described it as a “crisis” for the inquiry.

The inquiry was set up to investigate allegations made against local authorities, religious organizations, the armed forces and public and private institutions in England and Wales, as well as people in the public eye.

It will be conducted on a statutory basis – meaning it has the power to compel witnesses to give evidence.

In a statement issued after the home secretary revealed she had stood down, Dame Lowell Goddard said she was “confident there have been achievements and some very real gains for victims and survivors of institutional child sexual abuse in getting their voices heard”.

Dame Lowell said she decided to take on the role because of her “relevant experience and track record in the area” but it was “an incredibly difficult step to take, as it meant relinquishing my career in New Zealand and leaving behind my beloved family

Goddard had promised to leave no stone unturned in order to ensure the voices of victims were heard. Strangely, she has abandoned that vision for unknown reasons, which rightfully raises questions.

Justice Goddard is the third person to be appointed as chair of the inquiry since it was set up in 2015. The inquiry had a budget of £17.9m in its first year.