Abuse in World Religions: Towards Solutions

This book draws attention to the texts, mechanisms, strategies and initiatives that address and combat such forms of sexual(ised) spiritual abuse. It goes beyond identifying, describing or characterising spiritual abuse in multiple religious traditions and rape culture settings, instead describing what is being done in diverse religious communities and settings to confront, address, resist, and heal from spiritual abuse. The introduction will briefly give examples of activist movements (e.g. the religiously centred offshoots of #MeToo, such as #TempleToo, #MosqueToo, etc.), faith-based organisations (e.g. Jewish Sacred Spaces) and survivor support groups, public enquiries and royal commissions (e.g. IICSA), policies, manifestos and initiatives that have done much to call out and challenge spiritual abuse. Again, just as none of the world religions are free from spiritual abuse, all have developed ways to detoxify, prevent, eliminate and bring healing and justice in the face of its existence. Activities range from analysis of sacred texts, to discussion forums, creation of self-representational visual and creative expressions, digital and other forms of activism and protest, specialist training courses, support groups and survivor-led initiatives, and much more. The book will appeal to academics of religious studies with interest in rape culture and spiritual abuse, as well as upper-level undergraduates and postgraduates, and also religious leaders, or leaders of faith-based organisations, seeking to understand and to confront spiritual abuse and rape culture in their own communities.