I think this would be the case for many situations, Chaplain David.
Unfortunately also many churches indulge in gossip and some people would be afraid of information leaking out.
Then again, at the church I was going to they seemed to ignore a case where children had signs of being abused until my mother stepped in. Then they said they shouldn't have ignored the signs for years, one woman especially felt guilty. Sometimes people unwillingly turn a blind eye because they don't know how to deal with something.
I would not be active in a church that swept abuse under the rug.
In the military we had committees in place that dealt with violence and abuse proactively. I was trained in this area and know others who served in helping individuals and families overcome abuse issues.
You had the perpetrators who were dealt with and the abused parties who needed help as well. If I was pastor of a church I would insure that there was a plan in place that spelled out very specifically what steps needed to be taken in case of abuse. This plan would delineate very specifically what needed to be done with the perpetrator and how the abused parties needed to be assisted.
We must never forget the abused as they often have difficulty over long periods of time, if not their whole lives.
Also, it hasn't been given a lot of emphasis in this thread, but there are males that have been abused and they also need help but are sometimes overlooked. In both cases confidentiality of the abused must be preserved IMO.
It is absolutely mind boggling how many people have been abused. I've seen statistics that state one out of three individuals will have experienced abuse during their lifetimes. Clergy should always be advocates for the abused, especially children. Pastors however, do not always have the power or the training to effectively deal with abuse themselves. But we can take proactive steps so that abuse is dealt with.
Since I am a Baptist I'm used to there being a board of Deacons who are active in church business and this also includes oversight of the pastors. So it would seem that in addition to pastors being educated in abuse, having a plan in place etc., the Deacons should also be educated in how to firmly and concretely deal with abuse and abusers, and how to go about providing help such as counseling for the abused parties.
As an after thought I want to say that I experienced attempted abuse by a member of the clergy. So in addition to training in these matters, I have some insight about what it is like to be the aggrieved party. Thank God I was of an age where I could get away from the abuser. Some of the abused, both male and females, both children and young people, do not always have this ability.
Does anyone here serve on any committees or function in a counseling capacity that gives them the privilege of trying to help people who have been traumatized, abused or hurt by sexual or physical abuse?