Misuse of Power: Adult Clergy Sexual Abuse
Content warning: This podcast talks about sexual grooming and harms within faith communities, including suicidality. If you need support, please refer to the link to support services located at the bottom of the show notes. If you have experienced abuse by another person in a position of power, such as an educator, a therapist, a medical professional, a coach, or an employer. The same dynamics of abuse exist. The power imbalance negates the process of meaningful consent.
Misuse of Power: Adult Clergy Sexual Abuse
In this insightful episode, I sit down with Dr David Pooler to discuss the often-overlooked issue of adult clergy sexual abuse. We explore the dynamics of grooming, coercion, boundary violations, and the misuse of pastoral power, drawing from Dr Pooler’s research and clinical insights.
We also turn toward institutional responsibility, asking: What happens when a person is deeply wounded within a faith community, and there is no triage response? Dr Pooler challenges us to consider how churches often lack any system for recognising, treating, or responding to trauma and how survivors are left spiritually and psychologically injured, sitting in silence as if nothing happened.
Dr Pooler leaves us with vital questions:
What if we all had to consider the fact that our leaders could injure others?
What would we do differently? How might we treat one another, protect one another, and hold leaders accountable when harm occurs?
This episode is essential listening for counsellors, therapists, church leaders, researchers, and anyone committed to trauma-informed care, accountability, and survivor support within faith communities.
Guest Bio
Dr. Pooler has more than 15 years of social work practice experience with several different populations including at-risk and abused children, adults with severe and persistent mental illness, persons with addictions, and homeless men. Dr. Pooler studies social workers and the organisational contexts in which social workers are employed. A primary focus of his research is studying how social workers find great joy in their work. He is interested in social work management and leadership. As an occupational social worker, Dr. Pooler is interested in assessing and developing interventions for social service organisations so that work environments are healthy, supportive, and just. He also has a strong interest in developing healthy congregations so that they can transform communities.
Dr. Pooler is married to Cheryl who is a lecturer in the Garland School of Social Work. Their two children were adopted from China; they are Josianne (2000) and Emilie (2003).
You can read more about Dr. Pooler and his research on the Baylor University Website:
https://socialwork.web.baylor.edu/person/david-pooler
Support Hotlines:
Link to all support hotlines in NSW, Australia: https://www.health.nsw.gov.au/mentalhealth/services/Pages/support-contact-list.aspx
Link to USA hotlines:
https://www.apa.org/topics/crisis-hotlines
Contact me:
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