A good pastor protects the flock from wolves.
It is my job to protect this flock from wolves.
I want this to be a safe place for the victims, not for the wolves.
If you prey on my flock I’m coming after you.
I will hunt you down and I will turn you in.
Rick Warren, Saddleback Church
It is my job to protect this flock from wolves.
I want this to be a safe place for the victims, not for the wolves.
If you prey on my flock I’m coming after you.
I will hunt you down and I will turn you in.
Rick Warren, Saddleback Church
Church Response to Abuse Report
When a church responds well to a victim's disclosure of abuse that faith community can be a source of significant healing, encouragement, and hope.
If the church responds poorly, it can be the source of deep and lasting pain, confusion, and emotional/spiritual injury.
Every church needs to understand...
— What it means to a victim to be believed, how it helps in the healing process
— How entire faith communities can be groomed (cognitive dissonance)
— Normal disclosure behaviors
— Common pitfalls that faith communities fall into that keep them from responding well to abuse disclosures
— Myths around abuse
— Action steps your faith community can take today to prepare itself to respond well to abuse
If the church responds poorly, it can be the source of deep and lasting pain, confusion, and emotional/spiritual injury.
Every church needs to understand...
— What it means to a victim to be believed, how it helps in the healing process
— How entire faith communities can be groomed (cognitive dissonance)
— Normal disclosure behaviors
— Common pitfalls that faith communities fall into that keep them from responding well to abuse disclosures
— Myths around abuse
— Action steps your faith community can take today to prepare itself to respond well to abuse
Preventing & Responding to Clergy Perpetrated Sexual Abuse
A Guide to Best Practices
In 2015, researchers at the Diana Garland School of Social Work of Baylor University wanted to learn how churches respond to complaints of clergy-perpetrated sexual abuse. We surveyed 280 adult female survivors who had filed reports of clergy abuse to their churches, and we interviewed 27 of those survivors in depth. As part of our survey and interviews, we asked survivors to tell us: 1) What has your church done that has been most helpful to your healing? 2) What should be included in a best practice guide for churches? Based on their responses, we developed this guide for preventing and responding to clergy-perpetrated sexual abuse. We intentionally included suggestions and ideas from survivors. In fact, most of this guide is directly distilled from survivors’ answers to our questions.
Are Abuse Survivors Best Served When Institutions Investigate Themselves?
by Boz Tchividjian @BozT
The next time you hear an organization proudly announce that it is going to launch an independent investigation,
do a little digging and find out who’s really sitting in the driver’s seat.
Take it from someone who reported abuse in the church: Get outside help
by Jimmy Hinton
Letter to Congregation from Bethlehem Baptist Church upon Abuse Report/Investigation
Statement of Incident of Sexual Misconduct, FAQ, GRACE Training
Matthew 18, Civil Law, and Limits on Church Discipline
by Marty Duren
The problem of believers addressing crimes within the context of the church.
But, what about scripture forbidding lawsuits between believers?
What about church and state separation?
Should Churches Handle Sexual Abuse Allegations Internally? by Jen Zamzaw
The problem of bias. The importance of impartiality.
A Model Response to Abuse Reporting - Tates Creek Presbyterian Church
A Letter from Robert Cunningham, Senior Pastor, TCPC, to the Church, Victims, Community & Media
How Can a Church Witness Well in the Aftermath of Sexual Abuse?
Imagine that a woman tells you she has been sexually abused by a leader in your church. What should you do?
Why you need to report abuse to legal authorities.
How to communicate abuse in your congregation.
How Should the Church Respond? - The Hope for Survivors
When a pastor has violated his sacred trust by taking advantage of a congregant, the church often wonders what to do and how to respond. Unfortunately, all too often, the church does not respond in a manner that is helpful to either the victim or the pastor.
This article contains some suggested guidelines to be adopted in order to help facilitate healing for all.
AdvocateWeb - Clergy Sexual Misconduct Evaluating a Complaint
Preying in Church: Confronting Sexual Offenders Who Come to Church
by Jay Dennis
Why Is It Inappropriate (and Dangerous) to Alert an Alleged Offender Before Calling CPS/or the Police?
by Brad Hambrick
Restoring the Church
Need Wise Counsel for Navigating Conflict?
What I've Observed When Institutions Try to Apologize and How They Can Do Better
by Wade Mullen
A Cultural Geography of Survivor Communities -
Part 7B3: Researching Key Concerns about Major Christian Investigation/Resolution Agencies
by futuristguy
Answering the question is Ministry Safe safe?