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Diana Garland, dean of Baylor School of Social Work and co-author of Baylor University School’s National Study of “Clergy Sexual Misconduct with Adults” conducted the survey on more than 3,500 adults, which is the largest scientific study into clergy sexual misconduct (CSM). The abuse, however, often is seen by parishioners and denominational executives as something else--a problem with alcohol, for example, or an emotional or relationship problem of the pastor or the parishioner, or a parish conflict.
Congregations who blindly trust the person in the pulpit should tune into a new national study, suggesting clergy sexual misconduct with adults occurs across denominations and religions a lot more often than many realize. The analysis by Baylor University’s School of Social Work found that 3.1 percent of adult women who worship at least once a month have been the target of a clergy come-on since turning 18.
Of those surveyed:
In addition to analyzing data from the General Social Survey, Garland also gathered first-hand accounts of clergy sexual misconduct. She interviewed more than 80 women and men. This group included victims of clergy misconduct, family members or spouses of victims, religious leaders who have committed misconduct, and professionals who have provided care for offenders and survivors.Take the survey on the right (and share it) so we can see.
Diana Garland, dean of Baylor School of Social Work and co-author of Baylor University School’s National Study of “Clergy Sexual Misconduct with Adults” conducted the survey on more than 3,500 adults, which is the largest scientific study into clergy sexual misconduct (CSM). The abuse, however, often is seen by parishioners and denominational executives as something else--a problem with alcohol, for example, or an emotional or relationship problem of the pastor or the parishioner, or a parish conflict.
Congregations who blindly trust the person in the pulpit should tune into a new national study, suggesting clergy sexual misconduct with adults occurs across denominations and religions a lot more often than many realize. The analysis by Baylor University’s School of Social Work found that 3.1 percent of adult women who worship at least once a month have been the target of a clergy come-on since turning 18.
Of those surveyed:
- More than 3% of women who had attended a congregation in the past month reported that they had been the object of CSM at some time in their adult lives;
- 92% of these sexual advances had been made in secret, not in open dating relationships
- 67% of the offenders were married to someone else at the time of the advance.
- In the average American congregation of 400 persons, with women representing, on average, 60% of the congregation, there are, on average of 7 women who have experienced clergy sexual misconduct
- Of the entire sample, 8% report having known about CSM occurring in a congregation they have attended. Therefore, in the average American congregation of 400 congregants, there are, on average, 32 persons who have experienced CSM in their community of faith.
From those interviews, Garland learned there were five factors that perpetuate clergy sexual misconduct.
-- Nobody acts in a situation that calls for action.
-- Parishioners don’t want to hurt their pastor’s feelings.
-- Religious leaders don’t have to report to an office or supervisor. And much of their communication is private.
-- People worship in sanctuaries, which means "safe place." That increases vulnerability and lack of awareness.
-- The same person exhorting the congregation from the pulpit is often the same person providing counseling or psychotherapy behind closed doors. The overlapping roles create an inappropriate power dynamic.
