JJJ when you are in the forest you can't see the forest for all the trees.
Sexual abuse is a difficult issue. "We don;t talk about these things, " was the norm until not so long ago. If you made waves the whole family structure collapsed so families kept 'secrets". Some people say rape or incest are not "Biblical".it is shocking for many to learn that the bible does address this heinous act that has existed since almost the beginning.it was uncomfortable for people to speak of such things- so we having teaching to do among our friends and family. Christ taught us to care for one another so I would interpret the Christian thing to do is to protect the little ones.
I think among many Christian still today that the hierarchy of respect is wrongly interpreted as if you tell on your husband or your priest or your brother it is a sin...that is twisted by the perpetrator to cover his wrong doings. He (she guilt those you suspect something is going on by twisting scriptures- main stream Christianity and Catholics are all people who fall into the clutches of power and control seekers just as in the clwf. The sexual abuse is about Power and Control over someone who has no right to do take what they want.
Did you know that the first Rape Centers did not open until 1972 And what a to-do stir it caused Iowas City , Iowa had an early Rape crisis Center.
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pdfs.semanticscholar.org]
I know that talking about these kinds of things are extremely uncomfortable for older generations, but we must talk it. In doing so perpetrators will get the message that they will get caught. Still the statistics on child molesters is that they commit this heinous act of Power and Control as many as 200 to 400 times before they are caught. A child predator will not be on the sexual abuse registry until he ( she ) is caught. Being accused tho' in no way guarantees a conviction. The accused ends up having more rights that the victim at some point in the trial. It is important to understand that if this creep does not have a fair trial and he is guilty as hell he will walk. so it is extremely important to collect the facts very carefully during the investigation.
For what it is worth it is not only men who prey on children or just men who rape women and men. Women sexually victimize as well. I know nothing about any women in CLWF who are been accused. But, I think it is worth bring up that I could have happened and it is hard to conceptualize in people minds and or they are more likely to dismiss a women's inappropriate advance as "nurturing" or accidentally misinterpreted.
Here's link the may help inform any victims who are wanting to ask what to do or think about some incidents.
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www.scientificamerican.com]
I know that it is a struggle for Christians who want to be meek and mild and turn the other cheek then forgive and forget in fear of being judged as not being a Christian. Can we come up with the scriptures that will help our brothers and sisters to know that the God's word does not tell us to stay quiet as victims? God di not give us a spirit of fear.