The Age of Inquiry: A Global Mapping of Institutional Abuse Inquiries is an open-access web resource on abuse inquiries across the globe. In recent years, there has been a rapid growth in the establishment of historical abuse inquiries internationally. However, there is currently limited understanding of their focus, scope, and geographical spread.
The Age of Inquiry is advancing knowledge of the international nature of such inquiries. It aims to extend understandings of inquiries in the present and recent past by documenting and categorizing their key features. The database and web resource focus in particular on investigations into ‘institutional child abuse’, which encompasses a range of settings, typically outside the family but including arrangements such as foster care.
The project brings together a team of scholars from Australia and Europe and actively encourages contributions from other researchers with expertise in this field. The website presents data that is being progressively generated through this ongoing collaborative study, with the aim of making this information publicly available. Consistent categories of analysis have been used to aid international comparison.
The inquiries listed on the website are being progressively updated as the research progresses. The web resource currently lists information on abuse inquiries in Australia, Canada, Denmark, Ireland, New Zealand, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the United States of America. The project team welcomes suggestions on inquiries that should be included, and encourages people with knowledge and expertise on particular inquiries to contribute. For information and suggestions, please contact Katie Wright.