2.  & 3. Reporting Criminal Sexual Abuse to the Civil Authorities

The National Clearing House On Child Abuse and Neglect
http://www.calib.com/nccanch/pubs/stats01/mandrep.cfm
 

Minister/Leader:

1. Did the Minister/Leader turn himself into the civil authorities?  If no-is that honesty, justice and righteousness? If not, what would you call it?

2. Did the Minister/Leader receive a sentence/punishment and serve the same? If no-is that honesty, justice and righteousness? If not, what would you call it?

3. Did the Minister/Leader tell the congregation that he sexually abused person(s) in his care over a long period of time?  If no-is that honesty, justice and righteousness? If not, what would you call it?

Senior Pastor:

1. Did the Senior Pastor turn the Minister/Leader into the civil authorities? If no-is that honesty, justice and righteousness? If not, what would you call it?

2. Did the Senior Pastor tell the congregation that the Minister/Leader sexually abused person(s) in his care over a long period of time?  If no-is that honesty, justice and righteousness? If not, what would you call it?

3. Did the Senior Pastor tell the district that the Minister/Leader sexually abused person(s) in his care over a long period of time?  If no-is that honesty, justice and righteousness? If not, what would you call it?

4. Did the Senior Pastor tell the that the Minister/Leader sexually abused person(s) in his care over a long period of time?  If no-is that honesty, justice and righteousness? If not, what would you call it?
 

District / Regional Minister:

1. Did the District / Regional Minister turn the Minister/Leader into the civil authorities?  If no-is that honesty, justice and righteousness? If not, what would you call it?

2. Did the District / Regional Minister tell the congregation that the Minister/Leader sexually abused person(s) in his care over a long period of time?  If no-is that honesty, justice and righteousness? If not, what would you call it?

3.  Did the District / Regional Minister tell the district that the Minister/Leader sexually abused person(s) in his care over a long period of time?  If no-is that honesty, justice and righteousness? If not, what would you call it?

4. Did the District / Regional Minister tell the that the Minister/Leader sexually abused person(s) in his care over a long period of time?  If no-is that honesty, justice and righteousness? If not, what would you call it?
 

TOP HQ OFFICIALS:

1. Did the OFFICIALS at HQ turn the Minister/Leader into the civil authorities?  If no-is that honesty, justice and righteousness? If not, what would you call it?

2. Did the OFFICIALS at HQ tell the congregation that the Minister/Leader sexually abused person(s) in his care over a long period of time?  If no-is that honesty, justice and righteousness? If not, what would you call it?

3.Did the OFFICIALS at HQ tell the district that the Minister/Leader sexually abused person(s) in his care over a long period of time?  If no-is that honesty, justice and righteousness? If not, what would you call it?

4. Did the OFFICIALS at HQ tell the denomination/association that the Minister/Leader sexually abused person(s) in his care over a long period of time?  If no-is that honesty, justice and righteousness? If not, what would you call it?

How many NO's by the Minister/Leader, or how many NO's by the Senior Pastor, or how many NO's by the District / Regional Minister and how many NO's by the National HQ Officials, does it take to make a mockery of honesty, justice and righteousness and qualify for using words like "cover up", "intentional deceit", "white wash" and "unrighteousness"?

How many NO's does it take to say something need correcting?

Mandatory Reporters of Child Abuse and Neglect by states
http://www.calib.com/nccanch/pubs/stats01/mandrep.cfm

Do you know the law and practice in your area? Do you know your church's policy and practice in this matter? Do you know the District's / Region's policies and practices in these principles? Do you know the denomination's / association's policies and practices in this matter?

One Example: MINNESOTA

Minn. Stat. Ann. § 626.556 Subd. 3(a) (West, WESTLAW through 2000 Reg. Sess.)

WHO MUST REPORT
A professional or professional's delegate who is engaged in the practice of:
- The healing arts; hospital administration; psychiatric treatment;
- Child care; education;
- Psychological treatment;
- Social services;
- Law enforcement;
A clergy member who receives the information while engaged in ministerial duties, provided that he or she is not required to report information that is otherwise privileged by law.

CIRCUMSTANCES
When they know or have reason to believe a child:
Is being neglected or physically or sexually abused;
Has been neglected or physically or sexually abused within the preceding 3 years.

PRIVILEGED COMMUNICATIONS
Minn. Stat. Ann. § 626.556 Subd. 8 (West, WESTLAW through 2000 Reg. Sess.)

No evidence relating to the neglect or abuse of a child or to any prior incidents of neglect or abuse involving any of the same persons accused of neglect or abuse shall be excluded in any proceeding arising out of the alleged neglect or physical or sexual abuse on the grounds of privilege set forth in statute.

Penalties for Failure to Report: http://www.calib.com/nccanch/pubs/sag/repopen.cfm
Approximately forty-four States and the District of Columbia have enacted statutes specifying the penalties for failure to report child abuse or neglect. Of these jurisdictions, approximately thirty-three States and the District of Columbia use a "knowingly," "knows or should have known," and/or "willfully" standard. Other standards include "intentionally" and "purposely." A few States impose penalties without providing a standard. Failure to report is classified as a misdemeanor in approximately thirty-four States.

This language and scope can be used with care by those attempting to explain to a congregation the nature of the criminal sexual acts by their clergy / leader upon those they abused.

The State of Minnesota has a very good website with statutes etc...
Table of contents for Chapter 609 Criminal Code

Criminal Sexual Contact- First Degree
Criminal Sexual Contact- Second Degree
Criminal Sexual Contact- Third Degree
Criminal Sexual Contact- Fourth Degree

Here's some of their definitions...about Criminal Sexual Contact

Subd. 11.  (a) "Sexual contact," for the purposes of  sections 609.343, subdivision 1, clauses (a) to (f), and  609.345, subdivision 1, clauses (a) to (e), and (h) to (l),  includes any of the following acts committed without the  complainant's consent, except in those cases where consent is  not a defense, and committed with sexual or aggressive intent:

    (i) the intentional touching by the actor of the complainant's intimate parts, or

    (ii) the touching by the complainant of the actor's, the  complainant's, or another's intimate parts effected by a person
 in a position of authority, or by coercion, or by inducement if  the complainant is under 13 years of age or mentally impaired,
 or

    (iii) the touching by another of the complainant's intimate  parts effected by coercion or by a person in a position of
 authority, or

    (iv) in any of the cases above, the touching of the clothing covering the immediate area of the intimate parts.

    (b) "Sexual contact," for the purposes of sections 609.343,  subdivision 1, clauses (g) and (h), and 609.345, subdivision 1,
 clauses (f) and (g), includes any of the following acts  committed with sexual or aggressive intent:

    (i) the intentional touching by the actor of the  complainant's intimate parts;

    (ii) the touching by the complainant of the actor's, the  complainant's, or another's intimate parts;

    (iii) the touching by another of the complainant's intimate  parts; or

    (iv) in any of the cases listed above, touching of the  clothing covering the immediate area of the intimate parts.

    (c) "Sexual contact with a person under 13" means the  intentional touching of the complainant's bare genitals or anal
 opening by the actor's bare genitals or anal opening with sexual  or aggressive intent or the touching by the complainant's bare
 genitals or anal opening of the actor's or another's bare genitals or anal opening with sexual or aggressive intent.

    Subd. 12.  "Sexual penetration" means any of the following  acts committed without the complainant's consent, except in
 those cases where consent is not a defense, whether or not emission of semen occurs:

    (1) sexual intercourse, cunnilingus, fellatio, or anal  intercourse; or

    (2) any intrusion however slight into the genital or anal  openings:

    (i) of the complainant's body by any part of the actor's body or any object used by the actor for this purpose;

    (ii) of the complainant's body by any part of the body of  the complainant, by any part of the body of another person, or
 by any object used by the complainant or another person for this  purpose, when effected by a person in a position of authority, or by coercion, or by inducement if the child is under 13 years of age or mentally impaired; or

    (iii) of the body of the actor or another person by any  part of the body of the complainant or by any object used by the
 complainant for this purpose, when effected by a person in a position of authority, or by coercion, or by inducement if the
 child is under 13 years of age or mentally impaired.

    Subd. 13.  "Complainant" means a person alleged to have been subjected to criminal sexual conduct, but need not be the
 person who signs the complaint.

    Subd. 14.  "Coercion" means words or circumstances that cause the complainant reasonably to fear that the actor will
 inflict bodily harm upon, or hold in confinement, the complainant or another, or force the complainant to submit to
 sexual penetration or contact, but proof of coercion does not require proof of a specific act or threat.

This language and scope can be used with care by those attempting to explain to a congregation the nature of the criminal sexual acts by their clergy / leader upon those they abused. Index of articles about clergy sexual abuse
recommended reading about clergy sexual abuse