Churches must ensure that complaints of sexual abuse are taken seriously
As the city prepares for a sex crime legislation overhaul, every community sector should work to ensure that people are free from harassment
Churches, of all places, should be safe spaces in which members can follow their faith in a supportive environment consistent with Christian values.
Sadly, a wealth of evidence from around the world has shown that is often not the case. Scandals have revealed what has been described as “an inconvenient truth”. Religious institutions can unintentionally provide fertile ground for sex offenders. Complaints are often covered up. No church, whatever its denomination, is immune.
Hong Kong has, over the years, experienced a relatively small number of apparently isolated cases involving sexual abuse within church communities. There has not been a controversy on the scale of those that have engulfed churches elsewhere.
But there is no room for complacency. The small number of cases is likely to be only the tip of the iceberg. It suggests victims are reluctant or unwilling to come forward or that complaints have been swept under the carpet.
A survey published this month by a church group identified at least 69 cases of harassment or abuse in the city’s church communities over the last two decades. Three of the victims were aged between three and 15.
But the concern lies not only with the number of complaints. The deeper problem is the way they are handled.