Pragmatic Protection

It is rare if not impossible for the habitually crude, thuggish and inept British Home Office to aspire to the Jesuitical cunning of the Vatican; but the spirit seems to be willing, albeit after its crude, inept and thuggish fashion. After an inquiry lasting seven years, legislation to make mandatory the reporting of child sexual abuse will not apply to those professionals most likely to work with abused children. Teachers, doctors and nurses will not be affected by the law; neither will head-teachers, football club managers, scout leaders or care home executives. Nor will mere indications be enough: punishment being more British than prevention, there must be hard evidence such as photographs or a signed confession that abuse has taken place. In a poetic touch, the maximum sentence for failing to report will match the length of time the inquiry took to recommend more effective measures; however, this will apply only to diplomats and members of the armed forces, presumably because there is such a thing as too many denunciations even for the British Home Office.