NIASW: Historic Abuse Inquiry

As the public hearings stage of The Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry (HIA) begins, NIASW has described it as a "watershed moment" for adult survivors of childhood abuse in Northern Ireland.    NIASW Manager Carolyn Ewart said: "NIASW wishes to support the inquiry in any way that it can. It is so important for the people of Northern Ireland to understand that for victims this is a watershed moment.    "Adult survivors of childhood abuse can carry the pain and shame of their experiences throughout their lives. Often this trauma can manifest itself in a range of harmful behaviours as coping mechanisms, such as substance misuse, self-harm or abusive relationships. Very often people may push the trauma to the back of their minds and not even be aware of the impact it has on their lives.   "The opportunity for those affected by years of abuse within institutions to have their stories heard is long overdue, and we hope that the public nature of the inquiry will help survivors of abuse realise that they are not to blame for what happened to them, nor are they the only ones who have experienced such trauma.   "We would like to see people who give testimony to the inquiry be given access to therapeutic services should they so wish. It is never easy to relive past trauma and the bravery of those giving evidence should not be underestimated."