Archbishop: We must speak openly about abuse

Archbishop Anders Wejryd. Photo: Magnus Aronson/IKON

“The best protection against sexual abuse in our Church contexts is to break the silence,” says Archbishop Anders Wejryd. “Each offence is one too many, and suspected crimes must be reported to the police so that a legal assessment can take place. Since 1998, the Church of Sweden has worked actively on guidelines and strategic measures to combat and deal with sexual abuse.”

“It is simply unacceptable, and we must take strict action when it has occurred,” says Anders Wejryd. “We have no reason to protect the perpetrators; the responsibility of the Church is to stand on the side of the abused.”

“Sexual offences are above all committed in closed environments and involve abuse of trust and power,” says Inger Lise Olsen, advisor on gender issues. “We hope that our strategic work makes it easier for people who have been abused to dare to report the crime.”

“We have had two contacts in each diocese for a long time now, both men and women, who help those who have been abused and combat sexual offences by highlighting the issues.”

Suspected crimes must always be reported to the police, according to Church guidelines. In addition to the legal process, the Church of Sweden’s own “court”, the Chapter in each diocese, deals with disciplinary issues concerning priests and deacons. If the Chapter judges that the trust that a priest or deacon should have has been seriously damaged, he or she may be forced to leave their job in the Church, in other words, they can be defrocked. The Chapter always includes the bishop of the diocese and a judge.