It was my pastor that encouraged me to quit listening to that prudish Christian music.
It was my pastor that encouraged me to start drinking bourbon.
​It was my pastor that began texting me while I was on a trip.
It was my pastor that said my husband was crazy.
It was my pastor that said friendship could include sexual activity.
It was my pastor that wouldn’t take no for an answer.
It was my pastor that threatened my job if I didn’t “play.”
It was my pastor who texted pictures.
It was my pastor who told me I was worthless and crazy.
It was my pastor who tortured me daily at work.
It was my pastor who blamed me for his sexual abuse.
It was my pastor who threatened to “take me out” if I betrayed him in any way.
It was my pastor who blamed me for discovery.
It was my pastor who never apologized.

It was my elders that knew it was abuse but called it an inappropriate relationship.
It was my elders who called me by name to the church body.
It was my elders that put a NDA in front of me saying it was to protect me when it was to protect them.
It was my elders who lied to their congregation.
It was my elders who refused my request for an investigation.
It was my elders who refuse to tell the truth and correct what they told the church body, my world, about me.

It was my church family of 15 years who turned their backs on me & the truth.
It was my church family that decided silence was more comfortable than truth.
It was my church that couldn’t practice what they preach.
It was my church that couldn’t trust God with the truth.
It was my church who kept a wolf in the pulpit & allowed him to abuse when they should have fired him. 
It was my church that let that wolf almost destroy me.
It was my church that chose image and money over truth.
It was my church that basically showed me they think I am worthless.
The sheep aren’t important. The “shepherds” are.

I haven’t lost my faith in Jesus. He rescued me out of that sick place. He’s healing me. I admit I don’t understand his ways because they can be so painful, but I trust Him.

I’ll add this: there are others like me, who were shown hell by pastors who have now considered leaving or left faith in Jesus. I understand why. It’s their choice. We shouldn’t judge victims for the hell a pastor and church put them through. We should love. And by love, I mean listen and support. We should fight like hell to expose wolves, get them out and take care of their victims whether they are in church or not and whether they’re still Christians or not. We should act like Jesus, not Pharisees. No one else walked on step in that victim’s shoes. Love!

​Don’t tell victims they have to trust Jesus after abuse when the church, when Christians, won’t trust Jesus with the truth about clergy sexual abuse.

This may be unique to my experience, but I find many want to accuse me of saying I'm a victim of clergy sexual abuse because, as an adult, I don't want to take responsibility for my actions, for my sin. This is not at all true. That pastor made it very clear from the beginning that it was my fault, even though he was the one who began texting. I wasn't even in town. We weren't friends. I hadn't flirted with him at the office. 

Once it was discovered, I took complete, 100% responsibility because I had no idea it was clergy sexual abuse. I confessed and apologized to my husband, my family, my Sr Pastor, the Elders, my co-workers, my friends, the church body and the abusive pastor's wife. 

I've always been an honest person and the lying was destroying me, so I was glad the truth was out and I could own it, and more importantly, be free from it. I confessed and repented to God and worked to embrace His forgiveness and let go of the shame. My testimony at the time was about how quickly we can fall into sin, how our hearts can deceive us, how Satan works to destroy us, how God works to reconcile us to Himself, and how loving and forgiving He is. I understood that part of my testimony would always include this "failure" and God's grace.

Then I learned from my trauma therapist this wasn't an inappropriate relationship. That I didn't actually consent because I was trauma bonded to and coerced by an abuser. This was emotional and sexual abuse.  This has made my story much more complicated. This truth has made it more difficult, not easier. I had to take the time to learn and understand what predators do to trauma bond and coerce their targets into behaving in ways they would otherwise find unacceptable. Then that had to become part of my story.  It puts responsibility where it belongs, on the predator, the abuser. But it opens the victim, me, to more scrutiny and criticism because leaders and bystanders are quick to judge, slow to listen and uninterested in learning about clergy sexual abuse and the abuser's tactics.

It would actually be easier to just go back to the testimony of an inappropriate relationship, of falling into sin, and of being forgiven. But: 1. that's not the truth, 2. that doesn't put responsibility where it belongs--on the pastor, 3. that puts responsibility where it doesn't belong--on the victim/target, 4. that lets wolves continue to abuse, 5.that puts more sheep in harms way, 6. that hurts other victims of clergy abuse by allowing them to continue to believe the lie that they are responsible or that they've willfully sinned, 7. that keeps victims from getting the help and support they need to heal.
​
So, even though it's more difficult, keeps me in uncomfortable conversations, keeps me being judged and criticized, I will keep telling the truth because the truth is important. Victims are important. Doing the right thing is important. 

I’ve talked to a number of adult victims of clergy sexual abuse in the last year. Common to all

1. Pastor groomed for a while, sometimes years.
2. The victims were trauma bonded by the time the pastor tested the sexual boundary.
3. The victim initially rejected the ​sexual advance.
4. They treaded lightly as they rejected because of the power differential and they were afraid of the pastor.
5. The pastor did not take no for an answer and relentlessly persisted.
6. The pastors had similar grooming tactics such as sharing the “secret” that they were in unloving marriages and neglected. Also anger, threats & gaslighting.
7. The pastor used God and Scripture as part of grooming.
8. The abuse got progressively worse and sexual over time, not immediately.
9. The victims felt they had nowhere to turn. No one would believe them or understand.
10. They knew the pastor was untouchable.
11. The pastor convinced them it was their fault.
12. The pastor threatened to kill victim or self if it was discovered.
13. After discovery, the elders mishandled the abuse, sin-leveled and victim-blamed.
14. The pastor got sympathy and the victim got judged & discarded.
15. The victims all took responsibility before they learned it was sexual abuse so they are not trying to avoid taking responsibility by calling it abuse.
16. The victims struggle with severe trauma. PTSD
17. The victims are some of the most courageous people I’ve ever met.
18. The victims want truth in the light even at great cost to themselves.
19. The pastors never took responsibility.