NEW ZEALAND
New Zealand Herald
March 22, 2020
By Kirsty Johnston
A parishioner who fought the Anglican Church for 15 years after being sexually harassed by a priest has won a landmark settlement and apology, including an acknowledgment the Church can be held to account for its ministers’ behaviour.
Until now, the Church has refused to be held liable for clergy, saying they were not its employees but were essentially employed by God.
However, in a successful settlement negotiated after the woman took her case to the Human Rights Review Tribunal, the Church admitted it was responsible, and will now improve its vetting, training and complaints process.
The Church will also pay the woman $100,000 in recognition of the gravity of humiliation and hurt she suffered, and in recognition of its flawed handling of the complaint.
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