Reporting Abuse

Clergy sexual abuse happens when someone in a ministerial role (pastoral or leadership) engages in sexual contact or sexualized behavior with a congregant, employee, student or counseling client.

Sexual abuse can include physical contact from the person in the ministerial role, such as:

• Sexual touch and "accidental" touch of sexual areas of the body
• Tickling and playful aggression that seem uncomfortable to you
• An inappropriate hug
• Kissing on the lips when a kiss on the cheek would be appropriate
• Pressing up against your body when hugging
• An inappropriate gift (such as lingerie)
• Sexual intercourse

Sexual abuse can also include verbal behavior initiated by a person in a ministerial role when such behavior sexualizes a relationship. Examples include:

• Innuendo or sexual talk
• Suggestive comments
• Tales of his or her sexual exploits or experiences
• Questions about the intimate details of your relationships
• Looking for sympathy about his or her partner's sexual inadequacies

An official worker or worker emeritus of the C&MA, as a holder of a position of leadership, is in a position of power and trust in pastoral relationships. These include any relationship where one who relates or has related to the worker as congregant, student, counselee, employee, or in a comparable role, while the worker was engaged in the conduct of ministry.  The factors of power and trust limit the possibility of a person in a pastoral relationship with an official worker or worker emeritus giving meaningful consent to any sexual behaviour with an official worker or worker emeritus.  Any inappropriate sexualized behaviour by an official worker or worker emeritus towards a person with whom they have a pastoral relationship is an abuse of their position of trust and makes the worker liable to discipline.  Any sexualized behaviour of an official worker towards a congregant or youth is sexual misconduct regardless of whether there was perceived consent or given consent. It is a breach of fiduciary duty.

If you have personally experienced sexual abuse from an Alliance worker or know of someone in an Alliance church or ministry who has experienced clergy sexual abuse, we strongly encourage you to report it.  Whether it happened a long time ago or is happening today, we want to hear your story and to come alongside you.

Report abuse by visiting the Reporting Sexual Misconduct page and completing the form there. 

Your identity will remain confidential.

If the individual experiencing clergy sexual abuse is a minor, it must be reported immediately to the police or child welfare authorities, as an incident of child abuse, as required by law.