Resources for Congregations Dealing with Abuse
Category: Unitarian Universalism - General
A troubling fact of congregational life is that even in congregations with many loving and justice-centered people, abuse can happen. Having a particular theological or social orientation does not make a congregation immune to the risk of abuse.
Verbal and physical abuse can be perpetrated by congregants against one another, by clergy colleagues against one another, by congregants against clergy, and (the most often-discussed case) by clergy against congregants. In all of these cases, the abuse can be detrimental to the well-being of the victim and of the larger church community.
Although congregations cannot eliminate the risk of abuse, they can take steps to reduce the likelihood of abuse and to deal with abuse in a healing and justice-centered way when it does occur.
I am not an expert on congregational abuse, but I am aware of some resources for congregations, including the Unitarian Universalist Association’s section on Safe Congregations (this is on the old UUA website, if you have the new link please comment!).
There is also an essay from the UUA’s Interconnection project titled “Stand Up to Problem People.” This essay, available in audio or text format emphasizes the importance of having a policy for dealing with congregants who abuse other congregants. Even though the essay is too short to use as a comprehensive model for developing such a policy, I think the argument for such policies is a good one.
And I’m writing about the issue of congregational abuse right now because the Eclectic Cleric posted a very helpful piece earlier this week titled “Justice Making.” EC gives an outline of what he learned from a workshop led by Marie Fortune on providing pastoral care to domestic abuse survivors.
The Eclectic Cleric describes a “seven-step process” or “paradigm” for care-givers working with abuse survivors. These seven steps are: Truth-Telling, Acknowledgement, A Compassionate Response, Protect the Vulnerable, Accountability for Perpetrators, Restitution, and Vindication. As Eclectic Cleric notes, this process is not only applicable to working with domestic violence survivors, but is also “relevant to a much broader set of situations and circumstances.” You can read his full description of each of the seven steps here.
Another valuable resource, written by a Unitarian Universalist lay person, is “Speaking Truth to Power.” Although the site is no longer updated, the archives provide a critique of the clergy abuse grievance process with the UUA.
Related articles on Looking for Faith:
T.D. Jakes Gives Advice to Congregations on Taking Action Against Domestic Violence
UU Church in Burlington Raises Awareness of Domestic Violence
December 8th, 2007 09:46
Having watch some of these cases unfold at the Catholic Church in the community next to mine, and another at the local mega church, my concern is when Churches try to deal with criminal abuse without calling the police.
That Catholics went to court to withhold the results of their own investigation claiming the privelege to do so under Church State seperation.
There is abuse, and there is criminal abuse and it seems to me folks need to be pretty clear when the thought is a crimes been committed, they need to call the cops.
December 8th, 2007 17:07
Hi Bill,
You’re right that a church should never be standing in the way of a survivor’s decision to prosecute an abuser, nor should the church be hiding the results of fact-finding in order protect an abuser.
My understanding was that the Eclectic Cleric was describing a parallel process that congregations can use to facilitate healing, but that it was not intended as a substitute for criminal prosecution.