How You Can Help Reduce Abuse in the Orthodox Churches

Abuse in the Church is not a new problem, nor can it be completely eradicated.  However, there are steps that Orthodox communities can take to reduce the chances of abuse, and to lessen its impact on survivors. 

• Demand that your deacons, priests and bishops receive seminary educations.  In our mobile society, where more and more people enter the Church as adults, this is an important opportunity to vet candidates for ordination.
• Support the implementation of programs in Orthodox seminaries designed to teach future clergy the importance of appropriate boundaries.  Clergy should also be taught how to minister effectively to parishioners who have been abused.
• Insist that complete background checks and psychological testing be required before candidates are ordained, and before clergy from other jurisdictions are received.
• Support abuse education programs for clergy who are already serving.  If the various Orthodox jurisdictions would work together, such seminars would have minimal impact on parish life.
• Educate yourself, and your children, about the importance of appropriate boundaries, and how to maintain them.  This is particularly important for those who have already been abused, wherever the harm may have occurred.
• Use your discernment. Listen to your inner voice. If something makes you uncomfortable or seems odd, pay attention to your feeling!  Ask questions, and if you’re not satisfied with the answers, then act! 
• Make sure that children in the parish are adequately supervised while on the premises. 
• Require mandatory background checks for all of those who will be working with children, even volunteers.
• Tell your friends and family about this web site.   
• Print out copies of articles on this web site for people in your parish, including the clergy.
• Read books, such as the ones we have listed on our resource page, and pass them on to others in your community, including clergy.
• Talk about the problem of abuse with friends, family and clergy. Bring the issue into the light!
• If someone in your parish community has been accused of abuse, please read these guidelines.  (link) Then, try to follow them yourself.  If necessary, print out additional copies, and share them with others in your parish.  Most importantly, believe the victims.  While false accusations are not unknown, they are extremely rare.   
• Report abuse to the police or other public authorities IMMEDIATELY! Certain behaviors are criminal even if the victim is an adult, such as rape or sexual battery.  Moreover, there are often more stringent standard applied in the case of clergy abuse.  Let the authorities determine whether or not a crime has been committed.  Go to the police before going to the church authorities.  Read Pokrov's guidelines.
• If you know of an abuser who is not included on our site, please let us know.  If you send us relevant documents,  the individual can be added to our lists sooner.
• If you know of an abuser who is still in a position where he or she might abuse again, and you think this is unacceptable, write to the appropriate bishop/bishops.
• Write to your bishops and hierarchs to let them know what you think about abuse policies and/or the way individual cases are handled.
• If you are interested in learning other ways that you can make a difference, please email Cappy Larson or Melanie Sakoda.
•  Join our mailing list and we will tell you when we have any important news or changes.