Producer’s Note: This podcast episode addresses a very sensitive topic. Listener discretion is advised.

The statistics are staggering: one in three girls and one in five boys in America will be sexually abused before they turn 18, and 90 percent of victims know their abusers.

Church Law & Tax’s legal research shows that abuse claims are a perennially top reason churches and religious organizations go to court each year. 

 And church leaders must mobilize to respond.

Jeff Dalrymple, executive director of the Evangelical Council for Abuse Prevention (ECAP), joins Erika to talk more about the trends, the vulnerabilities within ministries, and the steps leaders must take to reduce those vulnerabilities and protect the youth entrusted into their care.

SHOW NOTES

Episode 41: “What Leaders Need to Know About Church Insurance Coverage” 

Evangelical Council for Abuse Prevention (ECAP)

“The Top 5 Reasons Churches and Religious Organizations End Up in Court,” by Richard R. Hammar 

“Minimizing the Risks of Child Molestation in Churches,” by Richard R. Hammar

Reducing the Risk: A child sexual abuse awareness program

“Does Your Church Have Sexual Abuse Liability Coverage,” by Charlie Cutler

Download your FREE copy of The Church Attorney Legal Audit® System document checklist here, and check out Episode 29 (“Using a Legal Audit to Position Your Church for the Long Haul”) to learn about the importance of a legal audit for your church.

Questions? Comments?  We welcome them! Please contact Erika Cole at erikacole.com. Erika reads each comment and may answer your question in an upcoming episode.

See all episodes of Church Law.

The Church Law podcast is part of Christianity Today’s ChurchLawAndTax.com, a not-for-profit publishing ministry.

Erika E. Cole, Esq., known as The Church Attorney®, is the creator of The Church Attorney Legal Audit® System, a proprietary legal audit process that helps church leaders be confident they are operating with integrity, and avoiding costly risks. She serves as a senior editorial advisor for Christianity Today’s ChurchLawAndTax.com.

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