Tools for Preventing and Addressing Religious Abuse

If the “exvangelical” and #ChurchToo movements tell us anything, sexual assault and other forms of religious abuse or trauma are more prevalent in our (faith) communities than we may like to admit. This month marks the 20th anniversary of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and it serves as a reminder there is much work left to do.

When I worked as a domestic violence survivor advocate, our agency hosted a training for local clergy members. Our goal was to provide education and resources for them as they shepherded their congregations. We soon discovered many, if not most, of those we invited were not interested and the handful that did attend were skeptical of their role in preventing abuse. I wanted to be surprised, but the news today confirms this resistance is a pattern.

Although each scenario contains unique factors, there are more and more resources to address various types of abuse as survivors and advocates speak up. These resources listed below are a great starting point for communities looking to strengthen their prevention efforts, but theological work may also need to happen to ensure people are cared for appropriately.

Organizations Addressing Religious Abuse

Do Better Church

“We are victims and survivors of church abuse (including para church orgs), telling our stories, asking the church to do better, and sharing resources for other victims.“

If you’d like to report your own experiences of religious abuse, this organization provides an opportunity for survivors to share their stories. They also have an email template available for those who wish to contact their churches and advocate for healthier communities.

Taking Ourselves Back

“TBO serves survivors of sexual assault, incest, sexual trafficking, campus rape, religious abuse, military sexual assault, abuse in sports and the arts, work place sexual abuse, survivors of domestic violence, survivors of war, and survivors of tribal and racial violence.  When women survivors experience community and healing in a safe and an embodied way, then everybody—men, children, our planet— is better off.” 

This organization lists a broad array of inclusive resources for survivors of all types of abuse on their website. They have a list dedicated to survivors of religious abuse.

Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment

“We exist to equip the Church with a vision for authentic community, where responsibility, accountability, and compassion are second nature and caring for children and adult survivors of abuse is non-negotiable. We believe with proper education and training every church and faith organization can effectively navigate its responsibility to appropriately care for those who have been impacted by abuse.”

GRACE’s website has a number of resources and lists a variety of books on healing from and responding to sexual violence and abuse. They also have a certification program that trains churches how to develop and maintain safe, ethical spaces of worship.

MinistrySafe

“MinistrySafe was created by legal professionals who are sexual abuse experts. After decades of litigating sexual abuse cases, Gregory Love and Kimberlee Norris founded MinistrySafe to help ministries meet legal standards of care and reduce the risk of sexual abuse by creating preventative measures tailored to fit the needs of churches and ministry programs. With over 50 years combined experience in sexual abuse litigation, consultation and crisis management, Love & Norris understand the risk of sexual abuse and how it unfolds in children’s programming.“

This organization also offers a training program, investigatory and legal services, and several practical resources.

FaithTrust Institute

“Founded in 1977 by the Rev. Dr. Marie M. Fortune (retired, 2016), FaithTrust Institute offers a wide range of services and resources, including training, consulting and educational materials. We provide communities and advocates with the tools and knowledge they need to address the religious and cultural issues related to abuse. We work with many communities, including Asian and Pacific Islander, Buddhist, Jewish, Latino/a, Muslim, Black, Anglo, Indigenous, Protestant and Roman Catholic.“

This organization’s website is full of resources and training materials. You may also be interested in their blog.

Heart to Grow

“We ensure that Muslims have the resources, language, and choice to nurture sexual health and confront sexual violence.“

Although this organization serves a Muslim population, their resource library is rich with practical tools, like this flowchart.

#SilenceIsNotSpiritual

“#SilenceisnotSpiritual is a global network of women faith leaders and their allies calling the church to stand with and for survivors of gender based violence and abuse. Formed in response to the #MeToo and #ChurchTwo movements the founders of #SilenceisnotSpiritual recognized that Christian women often live and worship in spaces where their voices are silenced. Within these churches social, mental and financial domination often intersect with physical and sexual domination; enabled by silence. #SilenceisnotSpiritual exists to create onramps into the movement to stand with and for survivors of gender-based violence and abuse.“

Their website also lists survivor stories and a sample church letter to bring greater awareness to religious abuse.

Books Focused on Religious Abuse

• The Dinah Project: A Handbook for Congregational Response to Sexual Violence by Monica Colman
• Prey Tell: Why We Silence Women Who Tell the Truth and How Everyone Can Speak Up by Tiffany Bluhm
• Healing Racial Trauma: The Road to Resilience by Shelia Wise Rowe
• #ChurchToo: How Purity Culture Upholds Abuse and How to Find Healing by Emily Joy Allison
• Leaving the Fold: A Guide for Former Fundamentalists and Others Leaving Their Religion by Marlene Winell
• Healing Spiritual Wounds: Reconnecting with a Loving God After Experiencing a Hurtful Church by Carol Howard Merritt
• Sacred Wounds: A Path to Healing from Spiritual Trauma by Teresa Pasquale Mateus
• Becoming a Church that Cares Well for the Abused edited by Brad Hambrick
• Trauma and Grace, 2nd Edition: Theology in a Ruptured World by Serene Jones

Have any more book or blog recommendations that should be on this list?

More on Preventing Religious Abuse:

• Impure: Preventing Sexual Violence
• Role of Faith Leaders and Laity in Domestic Violence Prevention and Intervention
• These 10 practical policy ideas can go a long way in preventing religious abuse.
• Do you know how to safety plan? You may want to take a glance at Safety Planning within Faith-Based Communities.
• Sexual Violence and Faith from National Sexual Violence Resource Center includes some helpful sources, including this Spiritual and Religious Abuse Wheel, which can help leaders and lay people to identify and avoid abuse.