For Survivors & Advocates

Support and Resources

If you are a survivor or lay advocate, you may have come to this page because you or someone you know has experienced spiritual, sexual, or physical abuse in a Christian setting. Please know that you are not alone in your efforts to secure justice and create change. Your voice, life, and safety are precious and should be protected.

General Resources

GRACE Live Conversations

  • Join our free monthly webinars to hear from experts and thought leaders on a variety of topics around faith, abuse, and church harm.

Learn more

GRACE’s YouTube Channel

Learn more

The GRACE Awakening Podcast

  • Tune in to GRACE’s podcast for longer-form conversations on difficult topics. Hosted by GRACE staff, these episodes feature interviews with thought leaders, abuse experts, survivors, and change-makers.

Learn more

Sexual Abuse

Domestic Abuse / Intimate Partner Violence

Child Abuse

Spiritual Abuse

Frequently Asked Questions

  • We suggest looking for a church that has a thorough safeguarding policy that provides:

    • Clear direction for responding to allegations of abuse or misconduct.

    • Clear direction for responding to boundary violations.

    • Clear steps of accountability for all, including leadership

    • Direction for all in the church or organization to follow if they have any concerns.

    The policy should be readily accessible by anyone who attends, and you can ask to see their policy. Additionally, you can ask church leadership if they consider themselves mandated reporters of child abuse. You can also ask leaders about their understanding of trauma and how that understanding of trauma shapes their understanding of pastoral care.

    You may find Toward a More Trauma-Informed Church by GRACE Executive Director Pete Singer helpful; this piece outlines some ways churches can engage the Six Principles of Trauma-Informed Care. Victor Veith (a GRACE board member) and Pete Singer have also written on the spiritual impact of abuse, and this article speaks to the importance of being equipped, as a community of faith, to care for victims of abuse.

  • We strongly recommend that you seek out a therapist who specializes in trauma. The therapist should also understand and employ trauma-informed practices. Please see more advice here: Finding A Trauma Therapist- Ideas, Insights, Questions to Ask.

  • GRACE's Independent Investigations can only be conducted through a direct contractual relationship with a church or organization.

    • Why? Our investigations rely entirely on the institution's cooperation to release documents, compel participation, and access information. GRACE does not have the legal authority to require these actions.

    • Your Role in Advocacy: The most effective way to secure a comprehensive, objective, and trauma-informed investigation is to encourage your church or organization to formally engage an external expert like GRACE.

    • Encourage Integrity: Engaging an independent, multidisciplinary team demonstrates a commitment to integrity and justice over institutional self-protection.

    If you are able to safely share this information with your leadership, our resource details the necessity of independent expertise: