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Faith communities often speak about trusting God. But when harm occurs within religious institutions, a difficult question emerges: what about those who serve in positions of spiritual authority?

Churches and other faith communities play an important role in the lives of millions of people. They offer pastoral care, guidance, belonging and hope. Clergy and spiritual leaders are therefore entrusted with profound responsibility. Their influence extends beyond theology into the deeply personal aspects of people’s lives. Where trust exists without accountability, however, harm can occur.

Over the past three decades, public inquiries and investigations across the United Kingdom and Ireland have exposed serious safeguarding failures within a number of religious institutions. These include the Independent Inquiry into Child Sexual Abuse (IICSA) in England and Wales, the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry, and the Historical Institutional Abuse Inquiry in Northern Ireland. Each of these inquiries heard testimony from survivors describing how abuse occurred within institutional contexts and how systems sometimes failed to respond appropriately when concerns were raised. Such inquiries have provided important opportunities for truth-telling and institutional reflection. Yet they also highlight a deeper issue: safeguarding failures are rarely simply about an individual offender. They are often rooted in organisational cultures where authority is concentrated, accountability is weak, and those who raise concerns are not heard.

Public discussion about clergy abuse often focuses on historical cases. Yet survivors and safeguarding professionals continue to remind us that abuse within religious contexts is not confined to the past. Recent reporting about safeguarding issues within the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, alongside earlier cases involving the Catholic Church, the Church of England and other denominations, highlight that safeguarding challenges within faith institutions remain an ongoing concern (BBC News, 2026; The Newsletter, 2026). It is also important to recognise that abuse within religious settings is not limited to one denomination or one faith tradition. Wherever authority exists without appropriate oversight, the potential for harm exists.

Research into religion-related child abuse has long highlighted how spiritual authority can create particular vulnerabilities. Bottoms, Shaver, Goodman and Qin (1995) observed that clergy may occupy positions of extraordinary trust and influence, sometimes leading victims and communities to assume that leaders are morally beyond question. Similarly, Denney, Kerley and Gross (2018) demonstrated that abuse within Protestant congregations often occurred in contexts where offenders had pastoral access to children and were perceived as trustworthy authority figures.

At the centre of all these cases are victims and survivors. Many survivors have used extraordinary courage to speak about their experiences. Sharing such experiences publicly; through inquiries, advocacy or journalism, often requires revisiting deeply painful events and confronting institutions that hold significant authority within communities. Yet survivor advocacy is sometimes misunderstood. Individuals who raise concerns may be labelled as troublemakers or portrayed as critics of the institution rather than people seeking accountability. In faith contexts this can sometimes take on spiritualised language, such as accusations of having a “critical spirit”. Such responses risk missing the fundamental reality: survivors and advocates are often seeking something profoundly constructive; truth, accountability and safer environments for others. Survivor voices continue to shape safeguarding discussions. Survivor advocates such as the Northern Ireland Survivor Council, have spoken publicly about the importance of accountability and meaningful safeguarding reform (BBC News, 2026). Their work reflects a growing international movement of survivor-led advocacy, including initiatives such as the Brave Movement, which seeks to end childhood sexual violence globally through survivor leadership and policy reform (Brave Movement, 2024). These voices remind us that safeguarding is not an abstract policy discussion. It is about real people and the long-term impact of abuse on individuals, families and communities.

Faith, safeguarding and cultural understanding

Another challenge highlighted in safeguarding research concerns the relationship between statutory services and faith communities. Gilligan (2009) noted that professionals working in child protection often lack what he described as faith literacy - an understanding of how religious beliefs and structures may influence safeguarding situations. Without this awareness, professionals may struggle to recognise risks or respond effectively within faith contexts. The complex relationship between faith communities and statutory safeguarding professionals is also highlighted in recent work by Lafferty et. al (2026)

At the same time, faith institutions themselves may lack sufficient safeguarding training or understanding of statutory processes. When these gaps meet, vulnerable individuals can fall between systems. Research on safeguarding in faith contexts therefore emphasises the importance of partnership and shared learning between religious organisations and statutory agencies (Lafferty et al. 2026)

Power and responsibility in faith leadership

Faith leadership carries significant influence. When exercised well, spiritual authority can offer guidance, care and protection. When misused, it can create environments where abuse is hidden or minimised. Trauma psychologist Diane Langberg has written extensively about the misuse of power within religious institutions. Reflecting on decades of work with survivors of abuse, she writes:

“The exploitation of the vulnerable person tells us about the exploiter, not the victim of that exploitation.” (Langberg, 2020)

Langberg’s observation challenges the tendency to frame abuse as misunderstanding or failure on the part of victims. Instead, abuse reveals something far more significant: the misuse of authority.

She also warns:

“Using theological knowledge to manipulate people to achieve our own ends is a wrong use of power.” (Langberg, 2020)

Another area receiving increasing attention is spiritual abuse, where religious authority, belief or scripture are used to control or harm individuals. Oakley and Kinmond (2014) describe spiritual abuse as a pattern of coercive and controlling behaviour within religious settings. Organisations such as the Charity for Action on Spiritual Abuse (CASA) have helped raise awareness of these dynamics and support those affected by them.

Langberg also highlights the danger of institutional silence when harm occurs:

“A silence in the face of such evil can be a kind of abuse of power, for in staying silent about someone else’s pain we have nullified our God-given power to speak truth.” (Langberg, 2020)

Silence - whether motivated by fear, loyalty or institutional protection, can allow harm to continue.

Honouring those who lead well

While much of this discussion focuses on clergy who have caused harm, it is equally important to acknowledge that there are many clergy and faith leaders who have never abused their position of trust. Across denominations and traditions, countless ministers, priests and pastors work diligently to ensure that their churches are safe spaces for children, young people and adults. Many are deeply committed to safeguarding practice, actively seeking training, listening carefully when concerns arise, and supporting victims and survivors with compassion and care. Their leadership matters.

For those already committed to strong safeguarding cultures, this work helps ensure that faith communities can truly be places of healing and safety. For those who are still early in that journey, there is an opportunity to learn, reflect and grow. Safeguarding is not about perfection. It is about humility, intentionality and a willingness to keep learning.

Safeguarding culture: safe and brave spaces

Safeguarding is sometimes reduced to policies or procedures. While these are essential, they are only one part of creating safe environments. Healthy safeguarding cultures are characterised by:

• transparency and accountability in leadership
• safe mechanisms for raising concerns
• openness to learning and reflection
• recognition of power imbalances
• respect for survivor voices.

Faith communities have the opportunity to create environments that are both safe and brave. Safe for people to belong, and brave enough to allow challenge and accountability when concerns arise.

A shared responsibility

Safeguarding is not the responsibility of one denomination, one safeguarding officer or one regulatory body. It is the responsibility of everyone involved in the life of an organisation. If faith communities are to remain places of trust, they must also be places of accountability.  Creating safer organisations is not a one-time task. It is an ongoing commitment to listening, learning and caring for others:  Safeguarding truly is everyone’s responsibility.

If you have been affected by experiences of harm within a faith setting, support is available. Many organisations are also actively seeking to strengthen their safeguarding practice. If you would like to access support, discuss safeguarding training, consultancy or organisational support, you can find more information at:

Kaizen Safeguarding

www.kaizensafeguarding.org
info@kaizensafeguarding.org

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