As we have previously noted, child sexual abuse can occur in any faith community, but in Christian settings it tends to be greatest in the more patriarchal and hierarchical organizations – for example Southern Baptists, Amish, and Roman Catholics.
Churches can be a haven for pedophiles because they provide volunteers with ready access to children. Professionals at GRACE, a faith-based nonprofit, have found that even when a parishioner or pastor is literally caught in the act of assaulting a child, church leaders tend to emphasize forgiveness over accountability, and often fail to implement safeguards against further occurrences.
GRACE provides 150-200 trainings, 30 investigations, and 100 consultations annually to Christian churches and interfaith organizations that want to prevent or stop sexual assaults on children. GRACE helps faith communities understand how they may be enabling perpetrators, and develop practical procedures to stop them.