This is the second post in OSU’s current blog series on SNAP Mennonite’s MAP List (Mennonite Abuse Prevention List) and the broader issue of naming church workers (lay or ordained) who are credibly accused* of perpetrating sexualized violence. Check out my introduction to the series or Barbra’s post from last week to get a better grasp on what the series is about, where this post fits in, and how we hope it will enrich ongoing conversations. Next week, look forward to hearing from Terry McKiernan, President of Bishop Accountability, an organization focused on preserving a public record of sexual abuse and its cover up in the Catholic Church. — HJS *** Several weeks ago I received an email from an older Mennonite gentleman who scolded me for my role in what he called “a Mennonite sex offender registry.” He was referring, of course, to my work on the Mennonite Abuse Prevention List. The comparison was materially unfounded. Unlike the actual sex offender registry, which is primarily a tool of law enforcement and imposes restrictions and surveillance on offenders, those of us working on the MAP List can’t make anyone do anything. But the accusation was personally jarring, because I don’t support the sex offender registry system, at least not […]
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