Religious faith and practice are a central part of many people’s lives. Participation in a church or faith community is an enriching experience that can provide countless benefits1, including an increased sense of community, greater access to social services, and meaningful opportunities to support others.2
However, faith or religious communities—just like any other community—aren’t free of dangers. Unfortunately, children who participate are at risk of being sexually abused within a religious setting or by a religious leader—a scenario that falls under the umbrella of institutional child sexual abuse.3 Children who endure this type of abuse are often victimized by their abuser for longer periods of time and suffer devastating effects. These effects not only impact the child, but the fallout of the abuse can also extend to the other members of the community.4
I have witnessed tragic instances when sexual abuse devastated an individual, interfering with their spirituality and compromised their religious conviction.
I have seen religious leaders and mentors use their authority and influence to abuse youth entrusted in their care.
I have grieved with my religious community when abuse fractured our sense of safety and peace.
I have endured the emotional aftermath of eroded confidence when instances of sexual abuse violated the collective trust of entire congregations.
Both religious leaders and members of faith communities share the responsibility to protect the children and youth they serve, particularly from sexual abuse. As we examine some of the conditions that can enable abuse, and ways to reduce the risk of it occurring, I hope leaders and members alike will be inspired to take action.
The Power Dynamics Present at Church
In my experience as a lay church leader for more than two decades, I have noticed the symbiotic relationship between religious leaders and the people they serve. Leaders offer guidance, inspiration, validation, reinforce a sense of purpose and identity, and coordinate opportunities for others to become involved in a community. Parishioners and religious participants, in turn, invest precious time, attention, resources, trust, and can cultivate a sense of reliance on religious/church leaders.
Because of the nature of their work, clergy, leaders, teachers, and mentors within religious settings often encounter individuals at some of their most vulnerable moments. Members may seek out help with physical, emotional, social, educational, and spiritual needs.
As with many other environments, the power dynamics present in a church or religious group can be hijacked to exploit vulnerable individuals—particularly children and youth. Power structures that are designed to serve and uplift can be misused by individuals who take advantage of the trust placed in them. These dynamics can trap victims in abusive situations, limit opportunities for them to disclose, and, in some cases, weaken the likelihood of an appropriate response when those disclosures occur.4
Unhealthy power dynamics include:
- Religious leaders dismissing concerns instead of addressing them appropriately.
- Encouraging victims to maintain secrecy rather than reporting the abuse.
- Failing to implement safety procedures, or don’t adequately communicate those procedures for safeguarding vulnerable populations.
- Consistently prioritizing the desires of one individual over the needs of others.
Due to the power and status church leaders hold, congregants are likely to defer to the opinions and teachings of those leaders. They are also more likely to comply with a leader’s requests and instructions. This deference is reinforced in instances where compliant individuals receive greater influence, privilege, or higher reputation within a religious community.
Abusers can leverage these dynamics within religious institutions to cover up their actions or mislead those they victimize. Sexually abused youth who are willing to speak out can be dismissed by others using the fallacy that such accusations aren’t just challenging the leader; they are challenging a divine “higher power” or the entire religious community they belong to.
Survivors of child sexual abuse in religious settings are often pulled into the confusing position of trying to separate the uplifting things they experience in their religious community and the abuse they endure. They ask, “Why would this person or group who represents so much good be able to do something like this?”
Tragically, survivors often conclude that their own behavior is to blame for the abuse, or that their personal faith somehow isn’t strong enough to make sense of what they experienced.
