In a bid for greater transparency, the Southern Baptist Conference's Sexual Abuse Task Force has published online an independent report detailing how its leaders protected pastors and local church staff accused of sexual abuse while ignoring, pressuring and trying to discredit sexual-abuse survivors.
The report includes the database of alleged abusers, along with links to news articles and other details. However, a note at the top cautions that the list is incomplete, has not been proofed or adequately researched, and is not always specific to Southern Baptists. Some names and other details have been censored, possibly to preserve the privacy of minors.
In a press release accompanying the report, the task force called on other Southern Baptists to heed the report's findings and care for abuse victims as well as "provide a culture of accountability, transparency, and safety as we move forward."
The task force called for specific reforms:
- The next SBC president should create a task force to ensure reforms are implemented.
- The Executive Committee should hire experts to work with victims and train state conventions on how to respond to abuse allegations.
- All SBC boards and committees should undergo background checks as part of the selection process, and should and receive training on sexual abuse prevention and survivor care.
- All SBC-affiliated seminaries should teach staff and students about sexual abuse prevention and survivor care.
- The Executive Committee should budget for and hire a salaried staffer for the SBC's Credentials Committee, which assesses whether churches are operating within SBC standards of faith and practice.
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