Resources
Change starts with you.
Below are some resources we’ve found helpful as we navigate individual healing, interpersonal support, and public advocacy for more abuse-resistant church communities. These resources span an array of topics, viewpoints, and approaches and do not form a cohesive or definitive list. We offer them as a starting place and hope you will explore broadly, considering a diverse range of survivor and expert perspectives.
Some resources on this list contain explicit content and disturbing themes that may be triggering for survivors of abuse and other trauma.
Books
Trauma and Recovery & Truth and Repair – Dr. Judith Herman (trauma & healing)
You Are Safe Now – Tricia Lott Williford & Jana Richardson (trauma & healing)
#ChurchToo – Emily Joy Allison (purity culture & abuse)
Pure – Linda Kay Klein (purity culture & trauma)
Disobedient Women & discussion guide – Sarah Stankorb (#ChurchToo movement)
Know My Name – Chanel Miller (sexual assault & the criminal justice system)
Why Does He Do That? – Lundy Bancroft (domestic abuse)
How He Gets Into Her Head – Don Hennessy (domestic abuse)
Steps to Freedom – Don Hennessy (domestic abuse)
The Verbally Abusive Relationship – Patricia Evans (domestic abuse)
It’s Not You – Dr. Ramani Durvasala (narcissistic abuse & healing)
Predators – Dr. Anna Salter (abuser psychology)
The Sociopath Next Door – Dr. Martha Stout (abuser psychology)
On This Rock – Victor Vieth (Christian response to child abuse)
When Narcissism Comes to Church – Chuck DeGroat (emotional & spiritual abuse)
Something’s Not Right – Wade Mullen (spiritual abuse)
A Church Called Tov – Scot McKnight & Laura Barringer (church culture)
Redeeming Power – Dr. Diane Langberg (abuse of power in the church)
Counseling Survivors of Sexual Abuse – Dr. Diane Langberg (trauma-informed response)
The Child Safeguarding Policy Guide – Tchividjian & Berkovits (church policy)
The Well-Armored Child – Joelle Casteix (child sexual abuse prevention)
God Made All of Me – Justin & Lindsey Holcomb (child sexual abuse prevention)
ABC of Body Safety & Consent – Jayneed Sanders (child sexual abuse prevention)
Check out the Restored Voices Collective library for additional book suggestions.
Articles
You Can Only Have One #MeToo – Amanda Machado
Moral Failings in the Pulpit Lead to Moral Injury in the Pews – Laura Howard
Hidden in Plain Sight: Responding to Domestic Violence – Jolynn Ritchie Madden
Understanding Trauma – Dr. Karisa Smith
Community Grooming in the Church – the ACNAtoo team
Our blog contains additional articles from guest contributors and the ACNAtoo team.
Also see the Into Account blog for survivor accounts, interviews, reports, and more.
Websites
Into Account: support services for survivors of sexual abuse in Christian contexts
Restored Voices Collective: support for female ACSA (adult clergy sexual abuse) survivors
clergysexualmisconduct.com: information and resources for ACSA survivors and churches
Tears of Eden: support and resources for survivors of spiritual abuse
The Allender Center: education and trainings in trauma response and survivor care
RAINN: large U.S. anti-sexual-violence organization offering a wide range of services
CFCtoo: support, resources, and stories from survivors of Christian Fellowship Center
Episcopal Accountability: anti-abuse advocacy by survivors in the Episcopal Church
Podcasts
Wall of Silence: interviews with abuse survivors and advocates in ACNA contexts
Bodies Behind the Bus: interviews with survivors of abuse in evangelical contexts
Navigating Narcissism: interviews with survivors and analysis of abuse dynamics
Believed: reporting the case of Dr. Larry Nassar, with survivor interviews
Documentaries & TV
Athlete A: sexual abuse and coverup in U.S.A. Gymnastics (Netflix doc)
Shiny Happy People: sexual abuse and coverup in the IBLP cult (Prime doc)
Let Us Prey: abuse and coverup in the IFB church (HBO doc)
Spotlight: breaking the Catholic Church abuse scandal, based on a true story (Netflix)
Maid: surviving and escaping domestic violence, based on a true story (Netflix series)
Unbelievable: surviving rape and case mishandling, based on a true story (Netflix series)
For Our Daughters: how the Church neglects and silences women (YouTube doc)