Attacks on Norfolk church ministers revealed
Four Norfolk clergy have been victims of assault or harassment over the past five years according to new figures revealed in a Freedom of Information request.
The figures from social think-tank
Parliament Street, in an attempt to highlight the dangers experienced by church leaders, show that across the whole country 200 ministers were involved.
Norfolk police information revealed that in August 2009 a vicar reported being the victim of an offence of fear or provocation of violence while in July 2011 police recorded an offence of common assault and battery after they received a report from a vicar. Both crimes resulted in an offender being arrested.
In March 2012 police received a report that a vicar was the victim of harassment in March 2012, resulting in the offender being issued with a police information notice, while in March 2012 an offender was arrested after a minister reported being a victim of harassment.
The Rev Simon Ward, chaplain to the Bishop of Norwich, said: “I don’t think the statistics are something that strike fear into us and make us feel that something has gone horribly wrong, or we need to change.
“Any case where something bad happens is obviously a cause for concern but we’ve got to keep it in perspective. We’re open, accessible and, I hope, welcoming and yes occasionally pastoral concern gets misconstrued and we have some people who come in and exhibit unpleasant or anti-social behaviour. It does happen but it’s very, very rare.”
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Pictured above is Bishop of Norwich's chaplain, Rev Simon Ward.