Our demands are fair. Our demands are reasonable. Our demands should be normative for any church.
They include:
- Taking abuse seriously.
- An end to victim-shaming and demonization.
- Forbidding clergy from engaging in retaliation for the filing of Title IV complaints.
- Ending the diocese’s current practice of requiring victims of abuse to go to court to obtain redress.
- Ending the diocese’s current practice of dismissing Title IV complaints on the basis that criminal charges have not been brought.
- Ending the diocese’s current practice of ignoring victims of abuse on the basis that bishops “should not get too involved.
- Taking formal action to intervene in high-conflict parishes and situations through use of outside experts.
- Retracting in writing untruthful statements made by diocesan officials about existing conflicts.
- Making clear that whistleblowers are honored and respected, and acting in the church’s best interest.
- Adopting written whistleblower and anti-bullying provisions.
- Adding bullying to existing safe church training.
- Removing church officials, chancellors, intake officers, and others who have covered up abuse or aided and abetting it by turning a blind eye.