What do you do when a church is unwilling to let an independent investigation occur, even when multiple victims have made allegations of spiritual abuse?
That’s a great question because you’re right - you can’t force an organization to investigate. One important step is to document, document, document. I actually have a post specifically about that coming up. That includes documenting facts and evidence that support the allegations, as well as documenting your communication of those allegations and facts to the organization and any supervisory entities as well, if it feels safe to do so. After that, the options depend on the goal which could include the walking away with your own emotional and spiritual health intact, speaking quietly to those you trust and want to help avoid harm, speaking publicly, and potentially a legal claim depending on the facts and circumstances. This of course varies given any denominational or specific nuances of that church and its policies and processes.
Thank you. In essence, we’ve already done our own investigation — 8 pages listing specific examples, all of which we can backup through recordings, emails, etc. Over 100 pages if you include victim statements. You’re confirming my thought that the next step is to take it to the congregation of the church (it is an EFCA church, so every individual body is its own entity in terms of governance). Thank you for your work and your writing.
What do you do when a church is unwilling to let an independent investigation occur, even when multiple victims have made allegations of spiritual abuse?
That’s a great question because you’re right - you can’t force an organization to investigate. One important step is to document, document, document. I actually have a post specifically about that coming up. That includes documenting facts and evidence that support the allegations, as well as documenting your communication of those allegations and facts to the organization and any supervisory entities as well, if it feels safe to do so. After that, the options depend on the goal which could include the walking away with your own emotional and spiritual health intact, speaking quietly to those you trust and want to help avoid harm, speaking publicly, and potentially a legal claim depending on the facts and circumstances. This of course varies given any denominational or specific nuances of that church and its policies and processes.
Thank you. In essence, we’ve already done our own investigation — 8 pages listing specific examples, all of which we can backup through recordings, emails, etc. Over 100 pages if you include victim statements. You’re confirming my thought that the next step is to take it to the congregation of the church (it is an EFCA church, so every individual body is its own entity in terms of governance). Thank you for your work and your writing.