✍🏾Behind the Podcast - Celebrating SAAM: A Faith-based Perspective

Sexual Abuse Prevention & Healing

Joyce M. Highlights

The Pew Newsletter and Podcast primarily focuses on Church Culture, with a secondary focus on faith and sex. So, the topic of sexual abuse and prevention in the faith-based perspective is, unfortunately, very much relevant and necessary.

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM). We discuss prevention, healing, & how the Christian Church can support sexual abuse (SA) victims/survivors. My two guests:

Joyce Moore The Flower Girl/Hidden purchase at www.theflowergirlbook.com

Queen Hatchett Survival of the Inner Man purchase at www.queenhwrites.gumroad.com

Queen H. Highlights

In this episode of The Pew, my two special guests shed light on the subject of Sexual Abuse & Assault (SA) to bring awareness and hope to those directly and indirectly impacted by abuse and assault. Though a heavy topic, our comradery create a warm and insightful dialogue.  Joyce Moore is a businesswoman and gifted organist who recently penned her memoir, The Flower Girl/Hidden, where she shares how God delivered her from the abuse she experienced from the ages of 3 to 18. Queen Hatchett is a writer and poet with several published works including, Survival of the Inner Man, an autobiography where she shares her journey from SA victim to survivor- from the inside out. Both women are mothers and grandmothers who are using their trauma and healing to bring awareness, foster prevention, and help others find healing through the power of God’s love.

Out of the discussion comes powerful revelations such as:

• the layered trauma for victims of people of power, including the concept of spiritual devastation when abused by clergy

• the feeling of healing from sexual abuse

• and an understanding of the difference between a SA victim versus survivor (wounds vs. scars)

BY THE NUMBERS…

According to the Associated Press (2007, three faith-based insurance companies reported 7,095 insurance claims of sexual abuse by clerical members, church employees, congregation members, or others involved within these settings from 1987 to 2007. Now, Math is not my strongest subject, but when I crunched the numbers, my result was an average of 354 sexual abuse claims made against people in church settings each year, over a 20 year period. That’s almost one abuse claim every day, day each year, for 20 years.

These numbers are not for the Catholic Church or Roman Catholic Church, but American Protestant congregations. Also, Church Mutual Insurance Company, Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company, & GuideOne Insurance Company reported the above statistic as all three insure about 160,000 Protestant Christian Churches collectively.

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April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) “This is a time for advocates, survivors, their loved ones, and the community to come together to talk openly about sexual violence to support survivors, increase knowledge and awareness, and identify strategies and resources to prevent sexual violence.” -The Office of Family Violence Prevention and Services (OFVPS)

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Photo Credit: TriDelta

What does faith have to do with overcoming trauma like sexual abuse and assault (SA)? A lot.

Is it possible to heal from SA? Absolutely.

And what can the Church (local and general) do to better support victims and survivors of the devastating effects of SA?

To answer these questions more in depth, I asked two people I admire, to share their first-hand and faith-based perspective on this topic. On April 25th, 2024, SA victims and survivors were left to process the overturned conviction and 23 year sentence of Harvey Weinstein by NY State’s highest court. The initial allegations against Weinstein, A prominent Hollywood producer, triggered similar complaints of powerful men in various industries and institutions. From these events, the #MeToo Movement. The historical judgement was exceptionally crushing as many had been celebrating sexual abuse prevention and awareness throughout the month of April. The announcement seemingly solidified the notion that there is little to no justice for victims of SA, especially when the abuser is a person of power or prominence.

After hearing the news I was stirred to stop dragging my feet (as I had done the entire month of April) and get these ladies together for a discussion. Some years ago I worked formally with abuse and assault victims listening to their experiences, drafting restraining orders, sitting with them in court, & providing support for the tasks and issues the come with the trauma. So, I while generally disturbed by the Weinstein news, my heart went out to those who were experiencing a wide range of emotions and perhaps reactions.

I am deeply grateful they agreed, especially at the last minute. As a believer, there a many reasons SA should be of concern to us. For those actively in ministry it is imperative as you are more than likely a decision-maker and mandated reporter (varies by state).