SEXUAL ABUSE
CALLING THE CHURCH TO ACTION :
Sexual abuse prevention and healing occur at the church level
By Gregory Love & Kimberlee Norris
Why does child sexual abuse continue to impact the Church ?
Why do so many abuse survivors remain hurting and silent ?
What must change in the Church ?
In the last 10 years , our culture has experienced repeated clarion calls for change in the Church , calling ministries to :
• Implement effective systems for sexual abuse prevention ;
• Understand and comply with legal reporting requirements ; and
• Create pathways of healing and care for abuse survivors .
Denominational leaders are saying the right things , but the headlines and allegations continue to reveal that the Church ’ s sexual abuse crisis is very much alive and ongoing . Why ? Sadly , the messaging from denominational leaders is rarely reaching those who can actually make a difference : significant change must occur at the church level .
CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE PREVENTION Church denominations universally condemn child sexual abuse , issuing resolutions and proclamations . The problem , however , is not resolved at the denominational level ; instead , it must occur at the church level . Each church must implement an effective Safety System meant to prevent child sexual abuse and respond appropriately to allegations of abuse .
An effective Safety System Where child sexual abuse is concerned , an effective Safety System includes :
• Sexual Abuse Awareness Training
• Skillful Screening Processes and Training
• Appropriate Criminal Background Checks
• Tailored Policies & Procedures , and
• Systems for Monitoring and Oversight
topical eBook , PREVENTING CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE : AN EFFECTIVE SAFETY SYSTEM , is available for download at bit . ly / 3z4xKUv .
MinistrySafe For many denominations in the United States , MinistrySafe is the exclusive or preferred provider for resources related to child sexual abuse risk . Currently , MinistrySafe provides Safety System resources to more than 25,000 ministries , adding an additional 200 churches per month . Through MinistrySafe , churches are training more than 55,000 staff members and volunteers each month . That sounds — and is — meaningful ; but given that more than 350,000 churches provide ministry services to children in the United States alone , churches that are proactive in addressing this risk are a drop in the proverbial bucket . This reality is continually revealed when ministry leaders contact the law firm ( Love & Norris ) seeking guidance in the midst of a crisis — a crisis that is both predictable and preventable .
So where is the breakdown ? Typically , the breakdown occurs at the church level , where children are gathered , where workers are trained concerning this risk ( or not ), where workers are screened ( or not ), and are appropriately supervised with children or students ( or not ).
Local church called to action The local church has been repeatedly called to action by denominational leaders , seminaries , external organizations , risk management consultants , insurance carriers , advocacy groups and legislators . Why is the local church so reluctant to act ?
“ It won ’ t happen here ” Many churches — especially small to medium-sized churches — work under the false assumption that ‘ sexual abuse won ’ t happen here ’ — until it does . Sexual abuse is not limited to any racial , ethnic or socioeconomic class . It is no respecter of any religious denomination or creed . Sexual abuse can happen anywhere . Parents want their children to participate in ministry programs for the positive experience of Christian growth , fellowship and spiritual mentoring . Obviously , this positive experience is shattered if a child is sexually abused while participating . In addition , when a child reports abuse within his or her core environment — the home in which the child lives — only to be disbelieved or minimized , that child is left to cope without meaningful help , resources or advocacy . Sexual abuse should never occur in ministry contexts , but the Church and Christian ministries continue to experience its devastating impact . Families and lives have been devastated , churches of all denominations have experienced its far-reaching consequences , and ministries have been destroyed . Unfortunately , the problem is growing . Within the past 15 years , verdicts , judgments , or settlements exceeding hundreds of millions of dollars have been levied against churches for sexual abuse allegations related to children participating in ministry programs . The Church and its children are increasingly endangered by sexual predators whose opportunity to ensnare children elsewhere is growing smaller , while the Church opens its doors to anyone . Sexual abusers looking for access to children will gravitate to activities and organizations where there are fewer protective measures in place . Many secular organizations have responded to this inevitable truth by implementing policies and training to reduce risk . Ministries , however , tend to do less , failing to recognize the risk or laboring under the misconception " it won ' t happen here ." Standards of care embraced by secular child-serving entities have risen dramatically in the past 15 years . Secular organizations have grown far more sophisticated in screening employees and volunteers , creating policies and procedures that protect children from abuse ,
24 CHURCH EXECUTIVE | NOV / DEC 2022