Survivor Sanctuary

It can often feel to survivors that pastors who truly care about sexual abuse are mere legends. Sure, we've heard they're out there, but has anyone ever actually seen one up close? As it turns out, yes. And while we aren't actually seeing him, in this episode we're chatting with Bryan Holt, a pastor whose childhood experience with a predator has shaped the way he cares for victims of sexual abuse.

RESOURCES:

Bryan's Church Website

Evangelical Christianity has its own music, movies, books and catch phrases, so it stands to reason that we need our own therapists as well. Right? Well, maybe not. While Christian movies may only make you cringe and desperately wish you could have the last two hours of your life back, so-called "biblical counseling" can do very real harm to survivors. On this episode we'll chat about nouthetic counseling, what it is and how it can do more damage to sexual abuse survivors than good.  

Survivors of childhood sexual abuse know all too well that churches often miss the mark (by a lot) when it comes to supporting survivors. But what pours salt into their deep wounds is that these same churches often demonize the very people who *can* offer support and healing to survivors. On this episode we'll chat about Christianity's disdain for psychology and the impact it has on survivors of sexual abuse.

RESOURCES:

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While experts and offenders debate whether child predators should be rehabilitated or imprisoned, victims of sexual abuse receive an automatic life sentence. 

You're ruining the reputation of the Church. You're hurting the cause of Christ. You're turning people away from Christianity and sending them to hell. If you're a survivor of sexual abuse, you've likely had all of these accusations, and more, launched at you by "Christians" any time you've tried to speak out. So where did the idea that exposing sin causes people to turn from Christ come from? And more importantly, is it true? We tackle that question on today's episode. 

I lost my brother last month, and as a result, my fiercest protector. In his honor, this episode of Survivor Sanctuary is dedicated to "protectors" like him, and their role in helping us heal from sexual abuse. 

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For many survivors of sexual abuse, finding their voice leads to speaking out and advocating for victims of abuse. But before you dive head-first into the world of advocacy, there are four things Kelly would like you to know. We talk about them on today’s episode.

Sometimes life throws curveballs that teach unexpected lessons. The last three weeks have been crazy, scary and riddled with anxiety, but the silver lining is a lesson in protecting the vulnerable that is invaluable for parents and churches who want to prevent sexual abuse. 

I read two articles this week about institutions dealing with "offenders" in their midst. One was about a church in Florida that hosts a ministry of love and acceptance to sex offenders. The other was about how an aquarium in Finland is dealing with one of their fishy residents who has a bad habit of eating all his friends. It turns out even people who feed fish for a living are better at protecting the vulnerable than the church (*facepalm*). We discuss it on today's episode.

Resources: 

Church of the Second Chance (Article)

On today's episode, I continue my chat with advocate and predator expert Jimmy Hinton. After turning in his own father for sexually abusing children more than a decade ago, Jimmy has dedicated much of his time to speaking out on behalf of victims and educating churches on how to prevent and respond to sexual abuse within their walls. Jimmy's knowledge of abusers is invaluable, and his heart for victims of abuse is a breath of fresh air. In part two of our discussion, Jimmy tells us how to spot predators in our midst, and the mindset shift that is necessary in our seminaries and churches to weed out abusers.

RESOURCES:

Speaking Out On Sex Abuse Podcast