Should we take for granted that our children are inherently safe among fellow professing Christians? Consider these facts that underscore the importance of remaining vigilant within church settings when it comes to protecting children from child sexual abuse and supporting abuse survivors.
Ninety-three percent of male sex offenders described themselves as “religious,” according to a 2002 study by Dr. Gene A. Abel and Nora Harlow.
Sex offenders who are significantly involved in religious institutions are the most dangerous. They “have more sexual offense convictions, more victims, and younger victims,” according to a 2006 study by criminology researchers Donna Eshuys and Stephen Smallbone.
Many child molesters offend with others present. Research by Underwood’s team in 1999 found that 55% of child molesters offended when another child was present, 24% offended when another adult was present, and 14% offended when both were present. They attributed the sex offender’s feelings of increased excitement and sense of mastery as reasons.
Pedophiles exploit trusting Christian communities. Harvard researcher Anna Salter found that child molesters within congregations are extremely manipulative, not only of their victims, but also of the church as a whole. She quotes a convicted child molester who said, “I consider church people easy to fool…. They have a trust that comes from being Christians…. They seem to want to believe in the good that exists in people. And because of that, you can easily convince” them.
Salter also cites the testimony of another convicted child molester who said: “I want to describe a child molester I know very well. This man was raised by devout Christian parents and as a child he rarely missed church. Even after he became an adult, he was faithful as a church member. But from the age of 13 years old, this boy sexually molested little boys. He never victimized a stranger; all his victims were ‘friends.’ I know this child molester very well because he is me.”
This testimony demonstrates how pedophiles use “religious cover” to gain access and the trust of children and their families. Religious cover is the outward demonstration of religiosity that pedophiles use to mask sinister intentions and behaviors. Those who abuse children can find our churches and Christian communities attractive because they have little fear of being detected or caught there.
Abusers in the church often look spiritual, generous, and kind, intentionally deceiving a community used to judging others by outward appearances and deeds.
These reasons and more are why we can’t do what comes naturally: naively lower our guard because we are at church, in the presence of other professing Christians. Our naivete is why offenders flock to the faith community. They leverage our naivete against us.
Consider the following examples cited in the literature about child sexual abuse. In “Caring for Survivors of Sexual Abuse,” Basyle Tchividjian and Justin Holcomb say the following: “It is not uncommon for church members to rally around perpetrators within the church who claim innocence or express hollow repentance as the victim is ignored or even sometimes vilified.” The same authors also share a survey of child sexual abuse prosecutors, who when asked about pastors appearing in court, more than two-thirds reported seeing pastors who support perpetrators rather than victims.
Tchividjian and Holcomb posit an explanation for this support for perpetrators over victims. They warn that we as Christians may seek redemption stories where they don’t exist. Churches typically view redemption as a linear journey: a life of sin, an encounter with grace, and a sudden, complete transformation. Child sexual abusers understand and manipulate this penchant for redemption stories, often garnering support and sympathy from their church by claiming they have been “falsely accused” or that they have “changed.”
Author Victor Vieth describes it this way: “Many sex offenders have found there can be quick resolution if they cry readily and use the language of repentance, without ever taking action to rectify the damage they have inflicted. When this happens, many offenders return home, realize how easy it is to be pardoned, and will molest again.“
If a church embraces this false narrative, and fails to hold a child sex offender accountable, the offender will also fail to find true repentance. Genuine repentance demands admitting all crimes, submitting to legal authorities, accepting no unsupervised access to children, respecting victims’ boundaries, and committing to a lifelong process — not just a quick transformation. Perpetrators who claim instant change remain enslaved to sin and the churches who believe them abandon their role of calling offenders to genuine repentance and protecting the vulnerable.
When church leaders or members fall prey to these inverted responses to child sexual abuse, child predators are emboldened, child sexual abuse survivors are revictimized, and children are not as safe as we take for granted while at church.
To read more about the complexities of child sexual abuse as it relates to the church, New Growth Press (newgrowthpress.com) offers a series of publications, including “Protecting Children from Abuse in the Church,” “What the Bible Says to Abuse Survivors and Those Who Hurt Them,” and “Caring for Survivors of Sexual Abuse.”
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