"Addressing the Roots of Sexual Violence Within the Church" (a blog repost)

My fellow sojourner, Catherine Thiemann,  has written a piece for Sojourners that you must read.

Remember, we are out here ... and we're talking.  Please join us in the conversation.

http://sojo.net/blogs/2013/06/12/beginning-addressing-roots-sexual-violence-church

Promoting a Great Blog on Clergy Sexual Abuse and Misconduct

We're out there.  We're the ones who are s-l-o-w-l-y coming out of our shame closets and starting to talk about what happened to us at the hands of our pastors.  We're tired of lurking in the shadows when we did nothing wrong.  Shadows belong to evil doers, not to those who demand accountability for the evil doers.

A fellow CSM survivor has a read-worthy blog up and running.  Please take a look at it here:

http://survivorsawakenthechurch.com

We're out there.  We're talking.  Won't you join us?

Betrayed

Two days ago, the woman who had served as my advocate during the formal complaint process (for charges I brought against my former pastor for clergy sexual abuse and misconduct) gave me a call.  We chat periodically, so I cheerfully answered the phone.  But she was somber and apologetic ... and I remember hearing her voice telling me that she slipped and gave my name to another woman at that church who was pestering her for info regarding the pastor's dismissal.  

She was horrified.  

I was horrified.

I didn't let it show.  My mouth formed the It's okay words in response to her confession.  But the truth is, it's anything but okay.

My name was never to be mentioned.  Never.  Ever.  It was a breach of trust, a breach of confidence, a breach of safety.

And now it's in the ears of one of the biggest gossips in that church.

It never ends.