“Adults continue to experience devastating abuse in situations of vulnerability like confession, spiritual direction, pastoral support, religious life, and employment. Safeguarding efforts have focused primarily on children, so there remain few consistent protections for adults who may experience abuses of power, trust, or authority,” Awake Executive Director Sara Larson said.

“We urge all dioceses to publicly acknowledge the reality of abuse of adults, establish clear, transparent, compassionate policies for responding to allegations, and offer care to those who have been harmed in this way.”