6. Debate on a Member's Legislative Proposal: Child Victims of Sexual Abuse

Part of the debate – in the Senedd at 4:34 pm on 3 April 2019.

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Photo of Bethan Sayed Bethan Sayed Plaid Cymru 4:34, 3 April 2019

I won't be very long. I just wanted to thank Janet Finch-Saunders, as ever, for her support of this idea and others that I've put forward in the past, and to Caroline Jones as well—you were with me when I met with our constituent and I know that it had an impact on us and it will form a basis of future work, I'm sure. In relation to the response from the Government—obviously disappointed that you've decided not to support it today, although the abstention is something I'll take. You know, small wins. 

Just to emphasise the fact that, for adults, for women, refuges do exist, and they are kept a secret from people. I visited them on a very confidential basis, and, yes, there may be instances where the abusers can find out the address, but I would like to think that, if we did set up this type of facility in Wales—we've seen from international examples that they are safe, that they are there for the child in every way, sense and form, and we could do it in a safe and supportive way here in Wales.

You say that you're waiting for the evaluation of the Lighthouse project in London, so I'm going to appeal to you that, if the evaluation comes out positively from the Lighthouse project in London, you will reconsider your abstention and that, as part of the action plan, you will be open-minded to considering this as a suite of ideas for that action plan, because I genuinely believe that this is one additional element to supporting children that could be there as an option, as opposed to trying to undermine everything else that's there—that's not what I'm saying. So, please keep an open mind, please look at the evaluation and include Assembly Members in the formulation of that action plan. That's something that we'd all like to work with you on. Diolch yn fawr iawn.