the misuse of spiritual authority, the act of taking advantage of a follower, and the harm it brings to the victim
These abuses — and there are many more left unreported — leave a trail of traumatized individuals who will have to deal with guilt, shame, and anxiety for a long, long time. It’s also unfortunate that for one reason or another only the sensational cases attract national attention.No one explanation can account for religious abuses. But allow me to highlight two areas based on research.
In this light, it doesn’t matter if religious authorities look frail or unspectacular to outsiders. It doesn’t matter too whether their practices seem unreasonable or evidently abusive. Religious abuse is enabled in an environment where accountability is weak. Religious communities governed by only one man are particularly susceptible to abuse of power. To whom is this person responsible if he makes grievous errors?
The first is for different religious groups to take accountability very seriously. This means setting up mechanisms where grievances are heard, addressed, and even publicly confessed.