Churches are not immune from child abuse. In fact, the opposite may be true, as many reports indicate that sexual predators target trusting environments where children are present, we must not ignore the threat. Faith actors must work together as part of a wider system, including with secular actors, to tackle the shared challenges that exist across diverse faith settings to end violence against children.
Interfaith collaboration and intra-faith cooperation are essential to a multi-stakeholder effort to eliminate violence against children. When FBOs work together in multi-faith partnerships, and do so locally, it affirms the value that all children are the responsibility of the collective community, and that all families are welcomed and supported.