SCMP: Power, secrecy: Hong Kong advocates on why church sex abuse cases take time to surface
SCMP
Power, secrecy: Hong Kong advocates on why church sex abuse cases take time to surface
Calls made for better guidelines and legislative review after retired pastor arrested in connection with sexual assault of minor in 1990s
An imbalance of power in churches, a culture of secrecy and the misuse of theology are among the significant barriers victims face in reporting sexual abuse cases, advocates have said, after a retired Hong Kong pastor was arrested in connection with an assault on a minor in the 1990s.
An NGO and a Christian group on Sunday called on religious groups to establish sexual harassment policies, noting that sexually abused children took 13 years on average to seek help.
They also urged authorities to review legislation on sex offences to help encourage more survivors to come forward.
Doris Chong Tsz-wai, executive director of RainLily, said child victims of sexual abuse often took time to report their cases as it was difficult for them to immediately comprehend what had happened, especially in religious settings.
“The high authority and status of church pastors make it especially hard for a child to grasp the situation and speak out,” she said.
“Some may also be confused as to whether it was an act of harm or care … until they grow up and realise they have been taken advantage of.”
A study based on data from the NGO found that survivors of sexual violence on average waited four years and two months before seeking help.
Those who experienced sexual abuse as a child took 13 years because many were assaulted by family members and feared repercussions, according to the findings.
The NGO explained why some victims took time to contact authorities after a retired priest was arrested on Friday on suspicion of sexually assaulting a child more than 30 years ago.
A 44-year-old woman who filed a police report late last month alleged that she had been sexually assaulted twice by a pastor at a Sham Shui Po church in 1993 and 1994, when she was 13 years old.
The pastor, 66, was arrested on Friday on suspicion of buggery with a girl under 21 and indecency with a child under 16. He was released on bail pending investigation.
Chong said child sexual abuse cases were difficult to prosecute as victims had to tell police about every incident in minute detail, often years after the fact.
“Child sexual abuse often takes place persistently over an extended period, but victims still have to recall and describe them all one by one,” she said.
“It is not only challenging but also unreasonable to victims … if they are subject to the same set of requirements as others.”
Chong called on authorities to consider following the example of Australia, which only requires prosecutors to prove the defendant committed an unlawful sexual act more than three times, or twice in some states, within a specified period.
Under the Australian model, prosecutors do not need to prove offences took place on the dates recalled by victims or in the exact manner that they were alleged.