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	Tackling Sexual Abuse Huntsville Times [San Antonio, TX] June 16, 2007 http://www.al.com/opinion/huntsvilletimes/index.ssf?/base/opinion/1181985401268250.xml&coll=1 Southern Baptists consider background checks on clergy The Southern Baptist Convention took an important step this week to deal with the very disturbing problem of sexual abuse. Its members passed a resolution that said churches should perform criminal background checks on clergy and employees. Because Southern Baptist churches are independent, self-governing entities, the convention couldn't mandate that they do the background checks. Nevertheless, the convention, by expressing its will and commitment to this issue, may mean that affiliated churches that aren't doing the checks will feel compelled to do so. As the allegations against Roman Catholic priests began pouring in over the last several years, it's become increasingly clear that sexual abuse by clergy is a multidenominational problem. While the Web site religioustolerance.org reports that 4 percent of priests who were active in ministry between 1950 and 2002 have been accused of molesting minors, 12 percent of Protestant clergy surveyed for a 1982 doctoral thesis admitted to having sexual intercourse with a member according to advocateweb.org. In the same survey, 38 percent admitted to other types of sexual contact with members. The molestation of minors certainly is more heinous than the abuse of adults. Both acts, however, stem from the same evil: misuse of power by trusted authority figures using religion and faith to cloak their actions. Sexual abuse by clergy is wrong on every level. Churches of every denomination ignore this problem at their own peril, risking the trust of their members as well as criminal and civil penalties. What the Southern Baptist Convention has done is laudable. It should take the next step and investigate to what extent, if any, sexual abuse by clergy has been a problem within its churches. The convention should publish its conclusions and make them public. Current data about sexual abuse in Protestant churches is hard to come by. If the Southern Baptist Convention used its resources to study this problem, it would be serving not only its members and clergy, it would be helping all denominations to confront this horrific problem. - David Person Fightin' words?
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