Safeguarding Webinars

Trigger warning: this post contains content about childhood abuse

The Methodist Survivors’ Advisory Group and the Safeguarding Team at the Methodist Church have arranged two webinars, Speaking Truth – Voices of Survivors of Childhood Abuse which will focus on the issues around abuse and will take place in January and February 2022.

It is likely that we all know someone who has survived childhood abuse, whether at work, at church or amongst our families and friends and the Safeguarding Team hope that these factual and wide-ranging webinars will enable participants to understand the impact abuse can have, in some cases, for years after it happened. Survivors will share their experiences, for which the Team is very grateful.

The first webinar, Hearing Reality: Voices Crying in The Wilderness will explore the history and prevalence of childhood abuse in this country, the impact of abuse upon survivors throughout their lives, and the history of the Methodist Church’s response to survivors of abuse and our ongoing work to improve and learn from the voices of people who have experienced abuse.

The second webinar, The Church’s Response to Survivors: From Stumbling Block to Stepping Stone, will teach us about the theology of safeguarding and how erroneous interpretations of scripture have been used to justify suffering or to force survivors to forgive. Participants will hear how childhood abuse affects future faith and the survivor’s understanding of God and church. We will learn how aspects of traditional church life, including language, can be harmful to survivors and consider alternative modes of church which survivors have found helpful. This second webinar will conclude by looking at the Methodist Church’s positive work, both to make our churches safer spaces and to respond better to survivors of abuse within our congregations.

Both of the webinars will be aimed at a broad Methodist audience from Safeguarding Officers and those in leadership roles within churches to anyone wishing to learn how to be more welcoming and inclusive towards survivors of abuse within our churches or workplaces.

You can register in advance for the Speaking Truth – Voices of Survivors of Childhood Abuse webinars below:

Webinar 1 – Hearing Reality: Voices Crying in the Wilderness
Wed 19 January  11am – 12:30pm

Register in advance for this webinar

Webinar 2 – The Church’s Response to Survivors: From Stumbling Block to Stepping Stone 
Wed 23 February  11am – 12:30pm

Register in advance for this webinar

 If you are not able to join the live event, you can register to watch the recording by emailing: littlek@methodistchurch.org.uk