If you suffered spiritual abuse in church as a child, you may struggle to recover even years or decades later.

Religious institutions are supposed to be safe havens for people seeking spiritual guidance and support. Unfortunately, some churches have become hotbeds for manipulation, coercion, and abuse toward their most vulnerable members, including children. Do you have recourse if you fall victim to abuse in the church, and how can a clergy abuse lawyer help?

What Is Religious or Spiritual Child Abuse? 

Over the years, there have been many scandals associated with child sexual abuse in the church. However, spiritual abuse of children doesn’t have to be sexual. This type of abuse may involve using religion in any form to manipulate, coerce, threaten, or intimidate. It can look like:

• Quoting Bible verses to justify physical punishment of children
• Using religious arguments to deny children access to necessary medical care or education
• Manipulating children into unconditional obedience to church elders
• Using church teachings to pressure minors into an underage marriage
• Threatening ex-communication and social isolation if a family questions church doctrine

Victims of spiritual child abuse suffer lasting trauma that often impacts the rest of their lives. Therapy and counsel from a child abuse lawyer may help you move forward.

Who Is Responsible for Abuse in the Church?

A church must provide a safe, abuse-free environment for its members. Sadly, religious institutions will sometimes hush up allegations of abuse and coercion to avoid liability. 

If a clergy member abused you when you were a child, you can take action against the perpetrator, the church administration, and possibly the diocese as well. This is true even if the individual who abused you has already passed away. An experienced child abuse attorney can analyze your case and let you know what evidence you’d need to sue the religious organization. 

Your Options for Seeking Recourse

It takes a lot of courage and determination to take a stand against an abusive clergy member or an entire church that promotes a culture of coercion and abuse. By doing so, you don’t just seek justice for yourself or your child but also help protect other potential victims.

You can take two legal venues to fight child abuse in religious institutions: reporting a clergy member’s actions to law enforcement and filing a civil lawsuit against the perpetrator and church. 

Criminal Charges

If you have enough evidence, you may be able to press criminal charges against your abuser. The abusive clergy member could face criminal penalties, including time in jail. The problem with criminal cases is that the burden of proof is often stricter than in civil courts. 

A Civil Lawsuit

You may seek child abuse legal services to file a civil lawsuit against the offender and the church where the abuse occurred. Your settlement could cover expenses like therapy and counseling, as well as the pain and suffering you experienced because of the abuse. If you can prove that the religious organization enabled or covered up abuse, a court may also award you punitive damages.

Call The Cifarelli Law Firm To Consult a California Spiritual Abuse Lawyer

Did you live through spiritual, physical, or sexual abuse in the church as a child? Call us at The Cifarelli Law Firm for legal help with church abuse. Our dedicated faith-based abuse attorneys can let you know whether you have a case and help bring the perpetrators to justice. 

Call (949) 502-8600 or contact us online to talk to a child abuse lawyer in California.