The Right is broadly in a rage over “groomers”. Most of the time this term is used to refer to drag queens, LGTQ+ community members, and other similar targets. (If you go deep enough even Jews are groomers, interesting how that works.) This accusation is even leveled at teachers. A teacher telling a gay child to be true to themselves would be considered a groomer. (I know this from personal experience in my family.) The result has been an astounding uptick in angry rhetoric online, threats, protests, and violent attacks. Armed groups show up to events to intimidate those going, and acts of violence are committed. However, with all the rage directed at these minority groups, they seem to forget the wolves among them, the people they should be targeting.
PROUD BOYS AND OTHER FAR-RIGHT GROUPS SHOWED UP TO INTIMIDATE A DRAG QUEEN STORY HOUR IN COLUMBUS, OHIO, THIS WEEKEND. (SCREENSHOT VIA BRENDAN GUTENSCHWAGER VIA STORYFUL)
https://www.vice.com/en/article/4axmy3/far-right-attacked-drag-events-in-4-states-this-weekend
Consider these examples of abuse in conservative, Christian, organizations. As groups that are held up and present themselves as the pillars of morality, values, and ethics, and should be at least founded on some premise of what they call a superior Christian worldview
Remember, only about 28% of sexual assault victims report to the police. A church enverionment will discourage ever going to authorities, making the actual number far below the 28%. Here is a fun exercies, if your organization has 800 documented cases of sexual abuse, and only 28% get reported, how many potential abuse cases do you have?
Religious leaders and clergy members from numerous organizations including the Catholic Church, Protestant denominations, Mormons, and others have been involved in abusing minors for centuries. Clergy sexual predators is a global abuse scandal on a worldwide scale involving sex crimes against the innocent.
For decades, church officials have protected the sexual predator under their employment while abandoning child sex molestation survivors that suffer the impact that lasts their entire lives. Many sexual predators died years ago, never being held accountable for their unspeakable acts.
Southern Baptist Church
The southern baptist church is one of the largest and most conservative religious organizations in the United States. Additionally, they are known for opposing LGTQ+, abortion, and other progressive movements. They even opposed ending segregation.
“The issue at hand is the release by the SBC of a 205-page document naming hundreds of Baptist leaders and members accused or found guilty of sexual abuse of children. The list, which includes 700 entries on cases between 2000 and 2019, was released after a bombshell third-party investigation by Guidepost Solutions said the convention’s leaders in its executive committee failed the public and its community by mishandling sexual abuse cases and mistreating victims and survivors.”
Article Quoted: https://www.google.com/amp/s/amp.theguardian.com/world/2022/jun/12/southern-baptist-church-sexual-abuse-scandal?espv=1
Full List of Abusers: https://sbcec.s3.amazonaws.com/FINAL+-+List+of+Alleged+Abusers+-+SBC+REDACTED.pdf
Catholic Abuse Cases
The Catholic church is one of the most infamous for abusing minors in the church. The evidence out there is astounding, and the church has done very little to address the issue.
At Least 330,000 Minors Were Victims Of Sex Abuse In The French Catholic Church Since 1950, Report Finds
Child Marriage Laws
Evangelicals and other religious groups have fought against ending child marriage. Usually, the argument goes that with parental consent there is no reason that an older man can’t marry a young girl. It is Biblical after all!
Summary of Current Situation in the UShttps://www.equalitynow.org/learn_more_child_marriage_us/
Jehovahs Witnesses
Just one example of many coming out of PA: https://www.pennlive.com/news/2022/10/4-men-charged-with-sexually-abusing-19-kids-in-pa-jehovah-witnesses-congregations.html#:~:text=The%20Pennsylvania%20Attorney%20General%20on,members%20of%20Jehovah’s%20Witness%20congregations.
Others
Presbyterian http://loriwatsonlawfirm.com/sexual%20abuse%20by%20presbyterian%20ministers.html
A most recent example to pop to mind in Republican politics. https://www.businessinsider.com/marjorie-taylor-greene-milo-yiannopoulos-intern-ex-gay-alt-right-2022-6
The Perspective View 