Posted on 09/12/2009 6:44:04 AM PDT by NYer
Findings from a nationwide study reveal that clergy sexual misconduct is more prevalent than many people believe.
According to research by Baylor University, 3.1 percent of adult women who attend religious services at least once a month have been victims of clergy sexual misconduct since turning 18. In other words, seven women in every congregation of 400 adults have been victimized.
Ninety-two percent of the sexual advances were made in secret and 67 percent of the offenders were married to someone else at the time of the advance.
"Because many people are familiar with some of the high-profile cases of sexual misconduct, most people assume that it is just a matter of a few charismatic leaders preying on vulnerable followers," said Dr. Diana Garland, dean of the School of Social Work at Baylor University and lead researcher in the study, in a statement Wednesday. "What this research tells us, however, is that Clergy Sexual Misconduct with adults is a widespread problem in congregations of all sizes and occurs across denominations. Now that we have a better understanding of the problem, we can start looking at prevention strategies."
The study, which was conducted on more than 3,500 American adults, is the largest scientific study into clergy sexual misconduct and is being published later this year in the Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion.
It is part of an effort by Baylor to identify and prevent clergy sexual misconduct. With virtually no research or information available to inform prevention strategies, Baylor University's School of Social Work sought to provide data for that purpose. Along with spreading awareness and educating the public, the team at Baylor hopes the findings will be used to draft model legislation to make it illegal for clergy to make sexual advances just as it is with patients and doctors.
Sexual misconduct by clergy is only illegal in Texas and Minnesota.
Garland hopes the study will prompt congregations to consider adopting policies and procedures designed to protect their members from leaders who abuse their power.
"Many people – including the victims themselves – often label incidences of Clergy Sexual Misconduct with adults as 'affairs,'" said Garland. "In reality, they are an abuse of spiritual power by the religious leader."
The research study also includes a paper co-authored by Garland on first-hand accounts from men and women who are victims of clergy sexual misconduct, family members or spouses of victims, religious leaders who have committed CSM, and helping professionals who have provided care for offenders and survivors.
Data from the 2008 General Social Survey – an in-person survey conducted by National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago – was used to estimate the prevalence of clergy sexual misconduct. Questions developed specifically for this project were administered by the Baylor team.
Clergy sexual misconduct was defined as minister, priests, rabbis, or other clergypersons or religious leaders who make sexual advances or propositions to persons in the congregations they serve who are not their spouses or significant others.
There is nothing new under the sun and no group of men is less sinful than another. Some groups like to think they are less sinful, however.
The percentages are probably the same across all denominations. What is different is the way the denominations treat transgressors. The Catholic Church was slow to understand the problem of sexual abuse of minors within the priesthood and they are now paying the price. A great deal of their moral authority was eroded and a wary spirit of distrust has developed between priests and parishioners. It is very painful. It is obvious that there is a percentage of priests ordained in the 50s, 60s, and 70s, that does not really have a vocation. That doesn’t change the Truth taught by the Catholic Church.
The only silver lining is that being a priest is now a lowly, servant’s life in most people’s eyes— and that means only the young men with REAL vocations will want to commit to it. May God bless them. It will be a very lonely, difficult road until the trust can be rebuilt. But our Church will be better for this cleansing, and we will need the strength and courage of those truly holy priests in the godless age that is coming. The Holy Spirit is still guiding the Church.
While abuse by those in positions of authority occurs in many organizations it is especially reprehensible when the offender claims to represent God. And, as the scandal in the Catholic Church made clear, the abuse was perpetuated by not following a few basic steps that the Bible gives for dealing with serious wrongdoing.
That scandal should have been a lesson to Protestant churches about how they handle their own problems of clergy misconduct.
Amazing isn't it...And these people belong to the 'one, true Church'...What a public testimony...
“Because “sexual misconduct” is cliche to Catholic Priests, haven’t you noticed?”
So, if I understand you correctly, you posted so that
people would not associate sexual misconduct strictly with
Catholics, but also with all denominations?
Wouldn’t that make your argument, “Catholics, we’re no
worse than anyone else!”
Can’t we do better than that - like holding to the highest
standards?
ampu
We always knew this when they were coming after the priests. Good that the truth is finally getting out there.
Sexual abuse is committed by the following (In dexcending order):
Fathers of children
Teachers
Coaches
Ministers
Catholic Priests is way down on the list. (From a study I have done.)
So if you are a father, teach in a public school, are also a coach, and on weekends are the assistant pastor at your Protestant church — watch out!
Sexual Abuse of Children by Protestant Ministers (including Baptists).
The article is from a Protestant journal with the focus on protestant clergy.
Lol!!
No, all clergy are human.
NO one should be held to a higher standard than any other.
Jesus Christ is not on Earth right now.
Actually, the SBC resisted setting up a SBC database. Unlike the Catholic Church, each Baptist Congregation is fully independent.
From the SBC website:
“5. I believe our pastor (or my church) has acted inappropriately. What will the SBC do about it?
Actually, the Southern Baptist Convention is not in a position to take any disciplinary action regarding pastors or churches. Again, because of the autonomy of the local church, each SBC church is responsible before God to set its own policies regarding pastors or problems in the church. Such policies are entirely up to the individual congregation.
According to our constitution, if a church no longer makes a bona fide contribution to the Convention’s work, or if it acts to “affirm, approve, or endorse homosexual behavior,” it no longer complies with the Constitution of the Southern Baptist Convention and is not permitted to send messengers to the annual meeting. These, however, are the only explicitly stated instances in which the SBC has the prerogative to take action. Failure to remain in “friendly cooperation” would also disqualify a church from sending messengers, and is obviously more of a subjective test.
Most SBC churches would look to their own constitutions and bylaws for the answer to this question, often these documents address this very issue.
6. Why is the SBC so committed to the autonomy of the local church?
We recognize that in the New Testament there was no centralized ecclesiastical authority over the churches that forced the churches into any form of compliance. There was encouragement, exhortation, and admonition, but there was never enforcement. We strongly adhere to that principle. Jesus Christ is the head of the local church - we are not. Each church is responsible before God for the policies it sets and decisions it makes.”
Is it not accurate?
I’ve been a member before of a Baptist Church that donated to the SBC missions program, but refused to officially take part in the SBC - because to do so was viewed as losing too much local autonomy. This in spite of the SBC being VERY loosely bound together.
The article never mentions "Protestant", the title doesn't mention "Protestant" and the description of the study clearly states that it is all faiths.
You actually changed the title of the article to turn this into a religion war thread, that is despicable, you even posted the related links to further reinforce the impression that this was a story about Protestants. The actual title is.
"Survey Reveals Prevalence of Clergy Sexual Misconduct "
"Clergy sexual misconduct was defined as minister, priests, rabbis, or other clergypersons or religious leaders who make sexual advances or propositions to persons in the congregations they serve who are not their spouses or significant others."
Parenthetical amplifications of titles are permissible and hardly constitute "changing" the title of the article, which remains intact.
“The article is from a Protestant journal with the focus on protestant clergy.”
“Clergy sexual misconduct was defined as minister, priests, rabbis, or other clergypersons or religious leaders who make sexual advances or propositions to persons in the congregations they serve who are not their spouses or significant others.”
The study does not appear to exclude Catholic clergy, or include anyone but women. The thread title should probably be changed to accurately reflect the article title.
Gay sexual misconduct does not appear to be addressed, not sure to what extent that would change things, statistically, for this study,
You are not covering yourself in glory today.
The article is from a Protestant journal with the focus on protestant clergy.
And we (SBC) will stay independent.
And when the refrain is so often "Catholics are worse than anyone else," what would be wrong with such an argument in reply?
“Parenthetical amplifications of titles are permissible and hardly constitute “changing” the title of the article, which remains intact.”
What if the title were set as “Survey Reveals Prevalence of Clergy Sexual Misconduct (Catholic Priest Altar-boy buggers excluded)?
This parenthetical addition appears to be actually true, but it is equally offensive.
No, somebody wanted to start a Catholic vs. Protestant flame war. That’s wrong.
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