Women Being Preyed Upon In Church- The Secret Scandal

Get Religion has a good post on this that examines some Baylor research. See Let us prey (on women)

On a side note I noticed this

Lawmakers are also taking note. Clergy sexual misconduct is illegal in Minnesota and Texas. Texas law, for example, defines clergy sexual behavior as sexual assault if the religious leader “causes the other person to submit or participate by exploiting the other person’s emotional dependency on the clergyman in the clergyman’s professional character as spiritual adviser.”

Wow. I didn't know that law existed. I looked up the statute and yes there it is .

I am not sure what I think about that law. What is exactly exploiting? How do you prove it? If for instance a Pastor is helping a grieving widow and things get out of control can he be prosecuted if the woman says I was emotionally dependent? I understand the purpose of this and I applaud it's intention but I would be curious how these prosecutions proceed. What are the defenses? What is emotionally dependent?



Excuse my libertarian tendency on criminal law that thinks before we throw people in jail we should do so carefully. I think Civil Actions are a much better route for most of these cases but that is just me. However that is just a first impression colored by my legal outlook on matters.



Anyway a interesting article.