The Kindness of Strangers: A Fresh Air child hosted by Mennonites breaks her...
Editor’s Note: I met Janice Batts on Facebook messaging. She was very angry with the Mennonite Church. She was angry like Jesus-turning-over-tables-in-the-temple kind of angry. My good white Mennonite...
View ArticleOpening Pandora’s Box: how EMU’S DSA report carries on institutional patterns
SERIES INTRODUCTION: Survivor advocate Lisa Schirch’s voice provides Part 3 in this series of posts by those who want the opportunity to respond to the findings released in November by Eastern...
View ArticleWho protects the flock? My encounter with an abusive pastor
In what follows, Kay Ellen courageously tells of the abuse she experienced from her former pastor, Duane Yoder, and of the ways her communities of faith failed to hold him accountable. As you will...
View ArticleA Crisis of Faith: In support of Kay Ellen
Sexualized violence doesn’t only hurt those directly victimized. It ripples out and causes all manner of harm to the families, loved ones, colleagues, and broader communities of both victim-survivors...
View ArticleEducation is Power: Your three-part guide to campus sexual violence and Title...
Our friends at Into Account are in the middle of a brilliant blog series that makes down-to-earth sense of the Title IX mayhem Betsy DeVos is currently orchestrating. I think the series is so helpful...
View Article#Metoo and Public Disclosures of Sexual Violence Perpetration: What’s a...
This piece was originally posted on Women In Theology. Yesterday, at approximately 12:47 pm, I decided to abandon my workday, go home, turn off the internet, eat six slices of the pumpkin pie I baked...
View ArticleWhen the Church Walks Away: Part One
This is part one in what will be a series of posts published over the next few weeks by Kathy Wiens, a sexual violence survivor, and her husband, Tim, who has been her strong ally. Kathy has...
View ArticleShedding the Shame of Adolescent Peer Sexual Abuse: My Story
For years, it ate away at me inside. Disgusted in myself for not being more forceful, for not standing my ground. Ashamed, believing it was my fault because, well, I was part of it. I knew it was wrong...
View ArticleIntroducing Hilary and new directions for Our Stories Untold
Dear EVERYONE, I’m truly sad to say goodbye to Rachel in her OSU role even as I trust she is making a decision that is right and good and full of grace. Rachel has been a powerhouse blessing when it...
View ArticleOSU Call to Action! We need 15 minutes of your time!
Dear friends and supporters, On June 14, 2016 Mennonite Church USA and Mennonite Education Agency published their joint plan for pursuing outside investigation into “the Hartman situation.” On first...
View ArticleMan, Christian, Survivor of Abuse: My Message to the Church
Charlie is a Methodist getting ready to graduate from an Anabaptist seminary. In addition to being a child abuse survivor himself, he is an activist for child abuse survivors, and we are thoroughly...
View ArticleJust Get It Together, Goshen College: In Support of Women’s Soccer Players...
I was sexually assaulted within the first few weeks at Goshen College. I have always known I am not alone in that fact. That is the story for many college students, and many students at Goshen College....
View ArticleAll in Pieces: My Journey toward Integration after Childhood Sexual Abuse
I was sexually assaulted by my father, paternal uncles and paternal grandfather as a child. My mother was aware of the abuse by my father and participated on one occasion. It started when I was a...
View ArticleClergy Abuse is Not Just a Mistake
The post Clergy Abuse is Not Just a Mistake appeared first on Our Stories Untold.
View ArticleI Am Mine: Undoing the 19-Year Hold That David Haas Had On My Life (part 1 of 3)
The post I Am Mine: Undoing the 19-Year Hold That David Haas Had On My Life (part 1 of 3) appeared first on Our Stories Untold.
View ArticleI Am Mine: Undoing the 19-Year Hold That David Haas Had On My Life (part 2 of 3)
The post I Am Mine: Undoing the 19-Year Hold That David Haas Had On My Life (part 2 of 3) appeared first on Our Stories Untold.
View ArticleI Have Made a Few Decisions
There are no bad children. If a child appears “dramatic” or to be “acting out”, people need to please look for the underlying cause. The post I Have Made a Few Decisions appeared first on Our Stories...
View ArticleCatching Flames: Into Account on the “I Am Mine” Series
The survivor who wrote the “I Am Mine” series has done the world of progressive Christianity an incredible service. Along with the other 40+ survivors who have so far come forward to report abuse by...
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I Have Made a Few Decisions
by Alexa Barkley “Imagine a community with tons of eager, well-meaning young people who really want to please God. Imagine that this group of young people has little to no sex education and may not...
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David Haas: The Man Who Shattered My God
By Elizabeth K. I grew up with David Haas. As a member of my congregation, he has always been a part of my church family. My first memory of David was after the Christmas Eve Mass when I was in 3rd...
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