April 7, 2021
It can often feel to survivors that pastors who truly care about sexual abuse are mere legends. Sure, we've heard they're out there, but has anyone ever actually seen one up close? As it turns out, yes. And while we aren't a…
March 31, 2021
It can often feel to survivors that pastors who truly care about sexual abuse are mere legends. Sure, we've heard they're out there, but has anyone ever actually seen one up close? As it turns out, yes. And while we aren't a…
March 24, 2021
Evangelical Christianity has its own music, movies, books and catch phrases, so it stands to reason that we need our own therapists as well. Right? Well, maybe not. While Christian movies may only make you cringe and despera…
March 17, 2021
Survivors of childhood sexual abuse know all too well that churches often miss the mark (by a lot) when it comes to supporting survivors. But what pours salt into their deep wounds is that these same churches often demonize …
March 10, 2021
While experts and offenders debate whether child predators should be rehabilitated or imprisoned, victims of sexual abuse receive an automatic life sentence. --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/survivorsanctuary…
Feb. 24, 2021
You're ruining the reputation of the Church. You're hurting the cause of Christ. You're turning people away from Christianity and sending them to hell. If you're a survivor of sexual abuse, you've likely had all of these acc…
Feb. 10, 2021
I lost my brother last month, and as a result, my fiercest protector. In his honor, this episode of Survivor Sanctuary is dedicated to "protectors" like him, and their role in helping us heal from sexual abuse. Support Survi…
Jan. 13, 2021
For many survivors of sexual abuse, finding their voice leads to speaking out and advocating for victims of abuse. But before you dive head-first into the world of advocacy, there are four things Kelly would like you to know…
Dec. 2, 2020
Sometimes life throws curveballs that teach unexpected lessons. The last three weeks have been crazy, scary and riddled with anxiety, but the silver lining is a lesson in protecting the vulnerable that is invaluable for pare…
Nov. 4, 2020
I read two articles this week about institutions dealing with "offenders" in their midst. One was about a church in Florida that hosts a ministry of love and acceptance to sex offenders. The other was about how an aquarium i…
Oct. 28, 2020
On today's episode, I continue my chat with advocate and predator expert Jimmy Hinton. After turning in his own father for sexually abusing children more than a decade ago, Jimmy has dedicated much of his time to speaking ou…
Oct. 21, 2020
On today's episode of Survivor Sanctuary, I'm chatting with advocate and predator expert Jimmy Hinton. After turning in his own father for sexually abusing children more than a decade ago, Jimmy has dedicated much of his tim…
Oct. 14, 2020
We talk a lot about what churches are doing wrong when it comes to preventing and responding to sexual abuse (and with good reason). But there are actually several ways that you can begin to open your church's eyes about abu…
Oct. 8, 2020
You may have heard it said that the effects of sexual abuse can't be physically seen. We focus a lot, and rightfully so, on the mental, emotional and psychological effects of abuse. But while there are many "unseen" effects …
Sept. 23, 2020
Whatever you call it--grooming, testing, preparing--the process by which a predator selects and readies his victims for abuse can be just as damaging as the acts of abuse themselves. Today on the podcast we talk about the da…
Sept. 16, 2020
On episode 47 of the podcast, we'll take a look at why it is so difficult for victims of sexual abuse to find healing from their trauma within the church. When a church's theology preaches freedom for the predator while pili…
Sept. 2, 2020
Sitting in a church service watching a worship pastor with skinny jeans and perfectly disheveled hair croon the latest Hillsong chorus might seem perfectly peaceful to many churchgoers. To a survivor of abuse, though, it can…
Aug. 26, 2020
The SavetheChildren hashtag has become mighty popular on social media over the last few months. Awesome news for abused and trafficked children, right?! Not really, as it turns out. On this episode of Survivor Sanctuary, we'…
Aug. 19, 2020
Today on the podcast we're celebrating Survivor Sanctuary's one year podcastversary (totally a word, right?). We'll take a look back at the past year, and chat about what's in store for season two of the podcast. Grab your p…
Aug. 12, 2020
On today's episode of Survivor Sanctuary we're chatting with Dom and Megan Benninger, the founders of BaptistAccountability.org, about their journey into advocacy for the vulnerable in churches. When they learned that a conv…
July 29, 2020
You've found your voice and reported your abuser. So why is there a niggling feeling in the back of your head that your work isn't done? On episode 42 of the podcast, we'll chat about the instinct to protect that drives many…
July 15, 2020
Maybe you've thought about it a million times--the exact words you would say to the person who abused you. Maybe you've written them out, word for word, or rehearsed them in front of a mirror. While the opportunity to actual…
July 2, 2020
Predators are going to prey; it's what they do. But the truth is that predators need help from an even more dangerous animal in order to successfully produce victims for the long haul. On this episode of Survivor Sanctuary, …
June 24, 2020
Yet another infuriating story in the news this week sparked this episode of Survivor Sanctuary. What is the deal with churches financially supporting credibly accused child molesters who "feel led" to travel to foreign land…