The Church of England must change in order for women to be safe

When the Bishop of Warrington made a complaint against her boss, the Bishop of Liverpool, she was sent on study leave while he remained in position – until a Channel 4 investigation shone a light on the story. If women are ever to feel safe in the Church, things have to change, says Martine Oborne

Rt Rev Dr John Perumbalath, Bishop of Liverpool (pictured, right), recently announced that he was retiring from ministry. 

The news came after a Channel 4 investigation revealed two women had alleged sexual misconduct against him. 

One, Rt Rev Beverly Mason, Bishop of Warrington (pictured, left), confirmed that she had made a complaint against Perumbalath in March 2023, before he was installed as Bishop of Liverpool. But rather than suspending him while a full investigation was carried out, the CofE instead encouraged Bishop Beverly to take “extended study leave” as a “pastoral response” to her complaint.

Given the prevalence of such stories in the Church of England, the case raises important questions about whether women are safe in the Church. And the answer to that question is both an emphatic ‘yes’ and ‘no’.