Research and Press

The Diana R. Garland School of Social Work at Baylor University has long been at the forefront of conducting groundbreaking research on the widespread issue of sexual abuse of adults by clergy within religious institutions. Our findings have shed crucial light on the prevalence and impacts of this form of abuse. Additionally, our advocacy efforts have also garnered widespread media attention and featured in major press outlets. We work to raise public awareness, support survivors, and promote necessary reforms to protect adult congregants from exploitation and hold abusers accountable across faith communities.

Research

• When Wolves Wear Shepherd’s Clothing: Helping Women Survive Clergy Sexual Abuse (Diana Garland)
• How Clergy Sexual Misconduct Happens: A Qualitative Study of First-Hand Accounts (Diana Garland & Christen Argueta)
• A National Study of Adult Women Sexually Abused by Clergy: Insights for Social Workers (David Pooler & Liza Barros Lane)
• Preventing and Responding to Clergy Perpetrated Sexual Abuse: A Guide to Best Practices (David Pooler)
• The Prevalence of Clergy Sexual Advances Toward Adults in Their Congregations (Diana Garland & Mark Chaves) 

Press

• Some Churches Call Clergy Sexual Misconduct an ‘Affair.’ Survivors Are Fighting to Make It Against the Law
• California weighs law to protect adults from clergy abuse 
• Why faith-based groups are prone to sexual abuse and how they can get ahead of it 
• Opinion: Evangelical Leaders Should Criminalize Adult Clergy Sex Abuse, Not ‘Restore’ Offenders 
• Baylor University Conducts Largest National Study of Clergy Sexual Misconduct with Adults 
• It is Not an Affair: It is Abuse 
• What is Clergy Sexual Abuse and How Does it Happen?
• The Catholic Church’s Hidden Shame: Priests Abused Grown Women, Too
• ABC7's Summer Smith, Baylor Professor Talk Clergy Abuse