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	Clergy Come-Ons More Common Than You Think By Manya Brachear Chicago Tribune September 9, 2009 http://newsblogs.chicagotribune.com/religion_theseeker/2009/09/clergy-sexual-misconduct-adults.html Congregations who blindly trust the person in the pulpit should tune into a new national study, suggesting clergy sexual misconduct with adults occurs across denominations and religions a lot more often than many realize. The analysis by Baylor University's School of Social Work found that 3.1 percent of adult women who worship at least once a month have been the target of a clergy come-on since turning 18. The findings, released today, come from questions included in the 2008 General Social Survey, a survey of a random sample of more than 3,500 American adults conducted by the National Opinion Research Center at the University of Chicago. "We assumed that if victims are adults that the relationship must be consensual," said Diana Gardner, dean of Baylor University's School of Social Work and lead researcher on the study. "If it wasn't physical coercion, we miss the emotional and spiritual coercion ... It's not an affair. It's an abuse of power. Regardless of who intended what, the religious leader is the one in the position of responsibility." Gardner said she has seen too many churches torn apart by abuses of spiritual power and hopes the study will lead to developing effective prevention strategies and policies and statues to make clergy sexual misconduct illegal. Barbara Blaine, president of the Survivors Network of those Abused by Priests, welcomed the study as a wake-up call for congregations. She agreed that legislation should protect people in the pews from predators in the pulpit. "The state has as much interest in protecting vulnerable citizens whether the predator is a doctor, an attorney, someone wielding a weapon or a clergyperson," she said. "An adult who is talking with a clergyperson assumes there are certain levels of trust and has their guard down and will most likely assume the clergyperson has insights, can offer spiritual guidance, may even have ability to assist the person in getting closer to God ... That's why when the clergyperson exploits that person it causes such devastating harm." In addition to analyzing data from the General Social Survey, Garland also gathered first-hand accounts of clergy sexual misconduct. She interviewed more than 80 women and men. This group included victims of clergy misconduct, family members or spouses of victims, religious leaders who have committed misconduct, and professionals who have provided care for offenders and survivors. From those interviews, Garland learned there were five factors that perpetuate clergy sexual misconduct. — Nobody acts in a situation that calls for action. — Parishioners don't want to hurt their pastor's feelings. — Religious leaders don't have to report to an office or supervisor. And much of their communication is private. — People worship in sanctuaries, which means "safe place." That increases vulnerability and lack of awareness. — The same person exhorting the congregation from the pulpit is often the same person providing counseling or psychotherapy behind closed doors. The overlapping roles create an inappropriate power dynamic. What do you think? Should clergy be discouraged from holding down multiple jobs in their houses of worship? Should there be statutes that make sexual advances by clergy illegal?
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