As I read When a Congregation is Betrayed I began feeling anxious. The chapter by Patricia Liberty reminded me how successfully church officials silenced me. My thoughts turned to my need to have someone to talk to about what I was reading. I wondered if anyone had the patience or time for me. I felt tears just under the surface. Working through abuse is a life long burden. The book correctly stated clergy abuse was grievous with a long lasting impact on the victim. What it didn’t say was abuse is abuse. A sexual act doesn’t have to occur for abuse to have substantial impact on the victim. And while clergy abuse is evil it is not more or less evil than incest or abuse by a close family member or friend. I have counseled many abuse survivors – incest, victims of bullying at work, victims of war. Abuse is abuse. Victims all suffer. They often have long histories of being targets of predators who correctly see their vulnerability and attack. My work is only beginning.
Sep 182008