UNITED STATES
MilleLacs Messenger
Posted: Friday, April 25, 2014
by Eunice Boeringa
Sexual abuse in churches is a threat that many of us would like to ignore. Sexual abuse is upsetting enough, but the thought that it occurs in the church is horrifying. As I read the recent Messenger article about the Crosiers and their dealing with sexual abuse I was saddened for all the men who have served their community with dedication and love. Since sexual abuse in the church hit the headlines, both Catholics and Protestants have struggled with this issue.
It seems to me there are three areas which need to be addressed. First of all, when abuse has occurred, there must be an open acknowledgement of the crime and apologies must be made. No one can blame everyone in an organization for the sexual misconduct of a particular member of the organization. What can be expected is the organization will take sexual abuse seriously and will handle complaints in an honest and open manner. Secrecy and silence are tools of perpetrators. Frank and open discussion of the problem and how to eliminate it is needed. The Crosiers have made a valiant effort to be forthcoming about the problem. Their statement of apology should help to bring some measure of healing to the victims of abuse and reassurance to those who look to them for spiritual leadership.
Second, steps must be taken to protect children from predators. It was good to read the Crosiers have instituted reporting policies and prevention policies. These steps should be implemented by everyone who works with children. Police background checks are essential for any organization. Policies that forbid one-on-one contact with children are also important. Windows on doors or open doors help to eliminate the possibility of secrecy. Parents should insist that such policies be implemented. But apologies and new protective policies are limited in their ability to bring healing.
Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.