SEXUAL ABUSE
SEMINARIES AND CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE RISK
EQUIPPING MINISTRY LEADERS
By Gregory Love & Kimberlee Norris
SEXUAL ABUSE ALLEGATIONS continue to make headlines , and subsequent media coverage indicates that ministry leaders tend to be unprepared for child sexual abuse issues .
Unfortunately , this lack of awareness is not unusual .
Earlier articles in this series introduced topics that church leaders must understand and apply , if children are to be effectively protected from this known risk . ( To access them all , download the Stop Sexual Abuse eBook at http :// churchexecutive . com / ebooks # riskmanagement .) This writing is intended to guide ministry leaders to current resources providing a more thorough coverage of the critical concepts introduced earlier in the series . As Christ-followers , attorneys and child sexual abuse experts , we created MinistrySafe to raise awareness and provide effective resources to prevent sexual abuse in ministry contexts . We believe it ’ s imperative that ministry leaders better understand sexual abuse in order to prevent it , properly respond to it , and provide appropriate care for abuse survivors . How can future ministry leaders and current staff members be equipped to meet this need ?
Christ-based seminaries provide one logical avenue — academic institutions committed to equipping future ministry leaders to navigate environmental challenges , while pursuing a biblical mission . Without doubt , the issue of child sexual abuse is one of these challenges . Seminaries have begun to address this issue by offering or requiring relevant training and coursework . Some seminaries have focused on curriculum and training regarding awareness and prevention ; others have focused on counseling , emotional care and support . Some have focused on both . This article attempts to highlight the efforts of various seminaries committed to equipping students and alumni with timely , effective training and resources aimed at sexual abuse prevention and healing .
36 CHURCH EXECUTIVE • STOP CHILD SEXUAL ABUSE churchexecutive . com