Those who suffer abuse can sometimes fall through the cracks of society. Individuals, organizations, churches, establishments, or others can indirectly or directly be the cause of ignoring abuse and allowing to continue due to internal false notions, or external fears. Those in pastoral care, healthcare or mental health must be the final line of defense in identifying abuse. This may result in identifying initial abuse simply through a medical checkup, or a casual statement to the school counselor, or concerned friend, but sometimes, abuse is discovered years and years later in counseling. This is why it is so critical to make trauma informed care such a critical aspect of all counseling. So many issues emerge in life that are connected to unresolved trauma and it is so important for professionals report it as well as if within the scope of one’s practice to treat it. Counselors and pastors need to see themselves as guardians and watchers for abuse and trauma in all individuals.
In this article, we will shortly look at the nature of abuse and the dynamics of power and its role in covering abuse.
Please also review AIHCP’s Mental and Behavioral Health programs in Trauma Informed Care, Grief Counseling, and Crisis Counseling.
Safeguarding and Abuse
Compton and Patterson refer to individuals who protect the innocent from abuse as safeguarders (2024, p. 1). Anyone who wishes to promote a safe environment can be a safeguarder. Whether a observant friend, or those in pastoral ministry, or those within healthcare or mental health agencies. Everyone is called to look out for others whether the person is abused by a stranger, or a friend, or family, or within a religious institution or organization or agency. Compton and Patterson encourage others to be diligent to identify abuse by looking for signs of abuse or possible risks of for potential abuse. They emphasize in addition to looking to also listen to victims with empathy and non-judgmental attitudes that provide a safe place for them to speak. In addition to listening, safeguarding requires equipping the victim/individual/survivor with the tools to heal, build new relationships and find the necessary resources to move forward. Finally, Compton and Patterson emphasize the duty to speak out against abuse, report it and advocate for transparency within organizations that look to hide abuse (2024, p. 2).
Abuse itself is not always physical or sexual in nature, but abuse can also be verbal and emotional and in some cases, these minor forms of abuse can elevate to physical. While physical abuse is constrained to slapping, punching, strangling, burning or restraining and sexual to improper touches, exposure, unconsented recording, or rape itself, verbal and emotional abuse takes far more subtle forms. Emotional and verbal abuse can include guilt tripping, extreme jealousy, constant monitoring, name calling, insulting, sarcasm, threats, ghosting, avoidance and silent treatments (Compton & Patterson, 2024, p. 14). Spiritual abuse at the hand of a partner or even religious leader is common to control and manipulate. Compton and Patterson point out that misuse of scripture can lead to manipulation, especially to donate, or give up possessions, as well as to utilize absolute authority in other’s daily lives. When a religious leader claims undisputed authority from God without checks or balances, that leader is able to order submission to any decisions or actions he or she takes. Ultimately, the person is made to think that their service to the church or religious figure oversteps every other duty in life because the person’s salvation depends upon it (2024, p. 17).
The Power of Authority
Relationships that pend on authority and power of one over another are not partnerships but unequal relationships. When a manager, president, coach, pastor, or priest teaches, speaks, or instructs, there is a sense of power and influence over another (Compton and Patterson, 2024, p. 28). This is not necessarily a structure of evil, but an important part of organization and society, but the inner dynamics of these powers of one over another can lead to evil actions when misused. Rinaldi states, “Abuse flourishes within a system that emphasizes absolute power of leaders, encourages unflinching submission and obedience of followers and avoids meaningful accountability (Compton and Patterson, 2024, p. 26). Authority can easily be corrupted. Authority as a relationship to another carries a huge responsibility. A coach’s responsibility via his/her authority to bring out the best of his/her players, to train them, and teach them and prepare them for games. When this responsibility deviates from these norms, then his/her power is misused and tempted to abuse. Additionally, due to the existence of this relationship, it can easily blur lines and lead to potential misuse of it. Compton and Patterson point out that any leader, pastor, or manager needs to clearly understand the limits and extent of their power, as well as the consequences of misusing that power and the effects of vulnerable individuals under them within this relationship (2024, p. 29).
Those who misuse authority purposely exploit those under their control. To confuse, justify and promote compliance, spiritual leaders will utilize spiritual texts, managers will utilize company goals and professional needs, coaches will use team first mottos or personal goals as ways to contort and confuse the victim. This leads to a grooming phase where those in authority utilize their power to attract the victim outside of the arena of their relationship into other situations. Utilizing scripture, or company goals, or team needs, the perpetrator will work on altering the victim’s conscience and to make them question his/her values. Abusers with authority to cover their crime will look to normalize the abnormal and justify it. For instance, a coach may tell a player that this behavior in the locker room is normal and goes on in all locker rooms across the country. The victim who may be scared to question, or be brainwashed and manipulated into compliance may be in awe of the person, or afraid to lose a job, or a spot on the team. This leads to a cycle of abuse (Compton and Patterson, 2024, p. 31-33). The authority misused also leads to threats later. The abuser who fears accountability or prosecution will use his/her authority to terrify the abused into silence. A priest may tell a young child that no-one will believe them or that if they say anything, they will go to Hell. A politician may tell an intern, that if anything is mentioned, the person will never work in politics again. This disgusting misuse of power and abuse unfortunately happens everyday and it up to those in behavioral health, healthcare and pastoral professionals to uproot it and expose it to the light. This is an important aspect of trauma informed care!
The Dynamics of Authority and Coverup
It is important to realize that many individuals can become complicit in abuse. Some may be more direct, while others are more indirect, but the complicity still remains. Sometimes complicity at even more remote levels protect and shield the most dangerous abuses and keep victims trapped under the spell of dominance. Abusers play a part in abuse by commanding or counseling or consenting to or flattering the perpetrator. They can directly cause it or even participate within it. Others who may not abuse or condone it even play a role in allowing abuse to exist by covering it up, remaining silent, preventing steps to expose, or not openly denouncing it. These individuals in many ways are as dangerous as the abusers. While they may not abuse or have a mental illness to abuse, they care more about image or position or finance than another human being in trauma. Their crimes are an equal problem and a reason why so many institutional abuses continue within many organizations (2024, p. 12-14). Many organizations, churches, schools, or agencies utilize shame, silence, or loyalty above truth. Those who work for schools, universities, sporting teams, church positions, or organizational positions feel the pressure to protect the image of who they associate with, as well as who pays them. In addition, many within cult-like churches will look for the greater good in promoting their silence, or feel as if their salvation is threatened if they question someone of religious authority. This can lead to shame as well to encourage silence and foster the environment for abuse.
Compton and Patterson list some key concepts that lead one to complicity and silence. Unity over truth leads those within the organizational structure to silence or dismiss those who call out questionable statements, or patterns or procedures. In this case, the mission of the church or organization overplays the mission to protect individuals. This leads to the greater good motif as well as the needs of the many over the need of the one as a way to justify a crime of abuse. In addition, Compton and Patterson point out that authority over truth leads to the submission of women and children to do without question. If a coach or pastor does something morally questionable, one is told or taught to dismiss it because there is a higher reason for the crime. This leads to diluting the idea that everyone sins or no-one is perfect when comparing it to an actual crime, and then proceeding to forgive the crime as if a minor issue. Others within the organization or church who witness it, then look for reasons to justify the crime of their coach, hero, or pastor. This leads to silence and also internal coverup over an actual crime under the guise of a simple sin that no-one needs to know about and that there must be “good reason” for. In abusive church settings, the congregants are told not to gossip about a potential crime and are pushed to trust their leaders and to also only count on scripture as a source of good counsel over professional resources that would immediately report a crime (2024, p.23)
Trauma informed care probes for these signs of abuse and helps expose it.
Exposing and Preventing Abusive Systems
First, if you feel as a leader in whatever capacity you are over abusing your power and authority beyond its scope and environment, then reel it in and hold oneself accountable. If outside the office, monitor those under your care and limit relationships that are not ethical. Second, if you witness abuse, report it. Do not justify someone’s behavior, normalize it, or belittle a crime.
On a larger scale, trauma informed specialists, mental health and healthcare professionals must become advocates and face organizations that look to hide abuse. This is not only legal and the law but also ethical and moral. Sometimes it may seem whistle blowing is hurting oneself but character and maintaining one’s integrity is far greater than any position. Whistle blowing on a favorite university program may hurt the program, or reporting one’s church may feel as if you endangered the holiness of it, but we need to separate the difference between a crooked and sick individual and our favorite team or church we attend. Instead, we should be enraged that someone would abuse while wearing a collar within our faith, or if a coach would misuse the honor of coaching our favorite team to abuse others or permit abuse under his/her watch. As mentioned earlier, we must be safeguarders and this must be vocational. We are the reformers of our favorite institutions when we do report. We are preserving the future of those institutions by reforming it and removing the scum that has invaded it via reporting it. This is the mindset of a reporter. Criminals must be exposed and removed from society, especially those who misuse power, exploit the vulnerable and emotionally and physically abuse others.
Politicians, pastors/priests/bishops, managers/CEOs, and coaches are not above the institution they are in or the people they serve or manage. Their must be complete zero tolerance and complete transparency. The reforms of the Catholic Church, while slow and painful, have produced fruits with more transparency that include not only reporting but also removing the alleged perpetrator with real life consequences. Whether a company, church or university there must clear and unforgiving policies and procedures that let all those who hold authority of the dire consequences that will follow if one is guilty of misuse of power and abuse. This transparency will not taint the view of the organization but actually prove that it cares about the vulnerable and individual over crime. It takes courageous persons in dark times to stand up. Victims are the most courageous by pushing forward and telling their story. Those who report and those who seek to reform institutions are also courageous risking position, status and rejection. Stopping abuse is a community and team effort!
Conclusion
Trauma Informed Care is always looking for signs of past trauma or abuse that may stem across the life span. It looks to expose and challenge any abuser or institution that has committed the crime of abuse or misused authority. As safeguarders, mental health as well as pastoral caregivers must not only help those with trauma and abuse but also be courageous enough to be whistle blowers and advocates for the abused, forcing those who misuse authority to face justice.
Please also review AIHCP’s Mental Health and Behavioral Health Certifications. These programs include Crisis Intervention, Grief Counseling as well as Trauma Informed Care!
Additional Blog
What is Trauma Informed Care? Click here
Resource
Compton, L & Patterson, T. (2024). “Skills for Safeguarding: A Guide to Preventing Abuse and Fostering Healing in the Church”. Intervarsity Press.
Additional Resources
“Reporting Suspected Child Abuse or Neglect: A Guide for Action” Department of Health and Human Services. Access here
“The Psychology of Denial: How Abusers Manipulate, Deflect, and Deceive”. Carolyn Devers. Access here
“Abuse of power: The psychology of abusive relationships” Estaban, P. (2023). In Focus. Access here
Raypole, C. (2025). “How to Recognize the Signs of Emotional Abuse”. Healthline. Access here
Brenner. A. (2020). “10 Red Flag Warning Signs of Abuse”. Psychology Today. Access here