WCC NEWS: When pastors prey: book breaks silence

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World Council of Churches - News

WHEN PASTORS PREY: BOOK BREAKS SILENCE

For immediate release: 20 May 2011

In an energetic book launch featuring Jamaican drummers and an Indian
“Bollywood” dance lesson, the World Student Christian Federation
(WSCF) released a new publication seeking to break the silence on sexual
abuse of women by clergy within the church.

The launch took place on Thursday at the World Council of Churches (WCC)
sponsored International Ecumenical Peace Convocation (IEPC) being held in
Kingston, Jamaica.

Titled “When Pastors and Priests Prey,” the book aims to raise
awareness about identifying, preventing and overcoming clergy sexual abuse
of women, according to Christine Housel, general secretary of the WSCF.
“We hope that this effort will begin a cultural transformation within
the worldwide church.”

The book, which was supported by the WCC Women in Church and Society
project, offers insights from researchers, advocates and survivors. Also
included is a speech by former President Jimmy Carter to the Parliament of
the World Religions in which he states: “The truth is the male religious
leaders have had – and still have – an option to interpret holy
teachings either to exalt or subjugate women. They have, for their own
selfish ends, overwhelmingly chosen the latter.”

Dr Fulata Lusungu Moyo, WCC programme executive for Women in Church and
Society, called the compilation “a prophetic project.”

For many of the book's contributors, sharing their story became a form of
therapy, said Moyo. “When we read their stories, we realize they have
moved from being victims to survivors. They have become healers –
wounded healers.”

One of the book's contributors described the manipulation her pastor used
against her after sexually abusing her: “He taught that to follow Jesus
Christ meant we must forgive each other every sin against us. He begged me
for forgiveness. He blamed me for causing his temptation. I blamed myself
and tried to avoid being attractive. Nothing worked.”

Clergy can help fight abuse
Even as the book's contributors detail painful stories of abuse, they also
acknowledge the clergy themselves can help lead the battle against future
sexual abuse by pastors and priests.

In her essay about clergy abusing women in Congo, Esther Lubunga Kenge
writes that the abusive acts shrouded in secrecy must be brought into the
light. “Those who were hiding behind the silence of victims should face
the exposure of their actions to the public. Thank God not all clergymen
are rapists,” she writes. “God has genuine shepherds of the flock
ready to sacrifice their lives for the sheep.”
Dr Valli Batchelor, the project's coordinator, said that if the silence
surrounding abuse is broken, only then will there be change.

“Victims are often so trapped in confusion, guilt and self-blame,” she
said. “Women victims are likely to remain silent and, as a result,
suffer severe depression and higher rates of suicide.”

Inviting women to talk about their trauma was an integral part of compiling
the book, said Batchelor, who was born into a Hindu family and then
baptized in the Christian faith.

As Batchelor invited IEPC participants at the book launch to dance, she
told them she finds that physical movement helps people relax and release
trauma. In the book, she writes: “I have found that the dance medium is
both expressive of the emotional hurts and needs of violated women and
children as well as being cathartic and liberating for the individual in
participation in group dramatic dance.”

Batchelor believes that the collective global church community needs to
face the fact that clergy abuse of women might be taking place in their
own community, wherever that might be.

“Many people from churches say, 'Maybe it happens, but not in my church.'
I'd like to challenge that.”

She said she'd like to see a cultural transformation within the worldwide
church. “Sexual abuse is a violent use of power,” she said. “It is
not an affair – because of that balance of power.”

IEPC website (Link: 
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=419504837dbaea503451 )

WSCF website (Link: 
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=59bef9bea369d0ff5bd2 )

More information on Women in Church and Society (Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=035c903c274ea75797eb )

High resolution photos of the IEPC and the book launch may be requested
free of charge via photos.oikoumene.org (Link:
http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?RDCT=2b9586221ed86f230285 )


The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness 
and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical fellowship of 
churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 349 Protestant, 
Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 560 million 
Christians in over 110 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman 
Catholic Church. The WCC general secretary is Rev. Dr Olav Fykse Tveit, 
from the [Lutheran] Church of Norway. Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.



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