Vacci Nation. Really?

How child abuse happens

 The elephant in the room with recent statements made by the Catholic Archbishop of NZ is the structure which underpins abuse by clergy. I've just finished watching Heaven and Hell, the Centrepoint story. It's sad viewing, because the structures which allowed abuse to take place there were the same as in the Catholic church, the Salvation army, Gloriavale, some cultures and on into the sunset. Namely, a power imbalance where hierarchies exist and children (and often women) have little power and protection.

 I watched a very supportive, if not saccharine, documentary on Gloriavale last night and quite franky I'm worried. A woman survivor of Centrepoint said that the adults there did not fit her idea of what abusers would be like: that abusers would be nasty angry men. She said "and these people were loving people." I also have a researched conviction that these people who stood by either consciously or involved themselves were victims, at one point in their lives, of such powerlessness. In short, they were unable to recognize abuse in front of their faces because their own abuse was as yet  unhealed. People keep saying ridiculously stupid statements like it's never going to happen again. 

As long as structures exist where (people) children are powerless, you will create an abusive environment able to ferment scenarios the like of which we have witnessed in global media and our own inquiries in Aotearoa. 

And so I'm worried when I see a  documentary series full of wonderful people who refer to love and Jesus and so on. I'm worried when I see cultures where children have no say, no ability to direct their own lives, no say when something doesn't feel right, to express their innate needs and values. 

Churches and state care institutions seem to have missed the opportunity to restructure their organisations, instead of dwelling on the criminal misdemeanors of errant men and giving heartfelt and anguished apologies. The Catholic church has brought in a new set of rules which say what they going to do with abusing clergy. Deafening absence of attention to the structure which allows it in the first place. And so have set up a climate for repeats. The only mitigating factor being mainstream church's decline: in which case their power is considerably reduced as they simply don't have the power they used to have. They no longer wield unquestioned pastoral authority on a daily basis. 

Ah but wait; the younger churches that align themselves with the moment at Pentecost where the 'spirit' of Christ was handed to them; the ones that claim literal truth for the Bible (or any book). And usually pyramidal in organization ie supreme power at the apex and subservience at the base. That's how you build pyramids though! 

They are the ones to watch. Places where the group has a kind of fervour about the 'good of the group' and everything being subservient to the group- that's where you'll also find abuse. So have a look around at the groups you know. Let them know you're watching them. Let the powerless ones know that you care, by speaking out and showing you care. These structures, whether business, cultural or clubs are around us and possibly always will be. We need to challenge their existence and can do so using our skills talents, resources and sphere of influence.