Misconduct and Abuse

In 2021, RHC leaders conducted an assessment of the church’s readiness to respond to matters of abuse, including occurrences within the church or those affecting members of the congregation. As a church, our goal is to be as equipped and knowledgeable as possible, both in safeguarding vulnerable groups in our midst and responding to those who are in need.

Abuse is a sin. There is never an excuse or justification for harming, violating or oppressing God’s image-bearers. We want to cultivate a culture at RHC where sin is brought into light, and those who suffer may find refuge. Our hope is to break the silence and stigma around survivors of abuse, and to care for these members of our community.

 

Watch the video below to find out more of the heart behind why we as a church care about matters of misconduct and abuse, and the steps we are taking to equip ourselves as leaders and respond well to those in need.

 

Abuse Response Team

We have assembled a group of brothers and sisters who have professional training and expertise in areas such as trauma-informed care, child abuse, sex crimes, social work, counselling, and victims advocacy to form the RHC Abuse Response Team. They are:

  • Christina has been a member of RHC since 2015 and leads a Community Group with her husband Alvin. She has worked in advocacy for women and girls for more than 20 years, with senior leadership roles in organizations including Lean In, UN Women and Aidha.

  • Amanda has been a member of RHC since 2017 and serves as a leader in the Mercy & Justice ministry. Amanda is a lawyer with a specialisation in gender justice. She has practiced in the area of sex crimes and human rights, working with women and children in a trauma-informed way. She is also a published poet and co-founder of the non-profit ReadAble which aims to improve social mobility by empowering children and migrant women with literacy.

  • Dara has been a member of RHC since 2018 and leads a Community Group with her husband Gerald. She is a social worker who pioneered and led the clinical and staff team at HCSA Dayspring Residential Treatment Centre for the past 10 years, working with teenage girls who have experienced trauma and abuse. She is passionate about seeing how child protection, education and social systems can be more trauma-informed. She is currently working as Personal Assistant to Lead Pastor at RHC, after having her first child in 2021.

  • Elizabeth is a trained biblical counsellor with a Masters of Arts in Counselling from Westminster Theological Seminary. Seeing God at work in people’s lives is a privilege and hence walking along with people in their journey of redemption is what she finds most fulfilling.

  • Joanne has been a member of RHC since 2019 and leads a Community Group with her husband Chien. She has worked in drugs and alcohol counselling and was involved in developing a training course in family violence courses for perpetrators. She previously set up a counselling centre at a church in Australia, and currently runs her own counselling practice and does training in mental health for church leaders in developing countries online.

Please reach out to us if you need help, if you need assistance or advice on how to walk with abuse survivors, or if you have a misconduct to report. A member of our team will get back to you as soon as possible. 

All information submitted will be kept confidential. However, in the event that you or someone else are unsafe, we may need to contact additional parties.

Frequently Asked Questions

 

1. What is abuse?

Abuse is defined as a pattern of behaviour that occurs within a power imbalance which results in harming, exploiting or controlling an individual. Abuse can occur physically, sexually, spiritually, emotionally, and financially. 

2. What is misconduct?

Misconduct refers to any behaviour that is illegal or against a code of conduct that an organisation is held to. Within the context of RHC, that would include Biblical guidelines for church leaders.

3. Why is RHC taking on the topic of misconduct and abuse?

As followers of Christ, we believe that the safety and sanctity of image-bearers are important and should be upheld. When sinful behaviour is perpetrated, especially by people within the church, it should be taken seriously and addressed by the church.

4. Does abuse actually happen that much? Here in Singapore? Within RHC?

Worldwide, it is estimated that 1 in 3 women will experience some form of violence in her lifetime, and 1 in 7 children will experience some form of abuse or neglect. There has been a sharp rise in reports of domestic violence in Singapore since the start of COVID-related lockdowns. RHC elders and leaders have been walking with brothers and sisters who are navigating abusive situations in their lives. The reality is that abuse occurs across every socio-economic, education, racial, marital and religious line.

5. Isn’t abuse a private matter? Why is it being discussed as a church?

Abuse mostly occurs in private, but we believe that sinful behaviors should be called out and brought into the light for purposes of repentance. We want to build a church culture where the body of believers may be a refuge for the oppressed and a channel toward restoration. 

6. What steps have RHC taken to safeguard against abuse within church ministries?

RHC pastors and employees have undergone training on responding to issues of abuse and misconduct with a trauma-informed lens. In addition, ministry leaders and volunteers for more vulnerable populations (e.g. Kids Min and Youth Meet) undergo safeguarding training and refreshers on ministry policies, standards of conduct and incident reporting processes. 

7. I have concerns about conduct by a church leader. What should I do?

You can contact the abuse response team, who will address your concerns with discretion. You can also reach out to an RHC pastor, elder or ministry leader.

8. What is the purpose of the abuse response team?

The response team was formed to provide the RHC community with assistance in instances of abuse, in the form of subject area expertise and befriending. Concurrently, we exist to support RHC pastors and leaders in handling matters involving abuse by supporting pastoral care. These are voluntary ministry roles, even for members who are currently employed by RHC.  

8a. How is the response team qualified to handle such matters?

We have assembled a group of brothers and sisters who have professional training and expertise in areas such as trauma-informed care, child abuse, sex crimes, social work, counselling, and victims advocacy.   

8b. How do I reach out to this team? Who will be informed of my request?

Anyone can reach out to the response team by filling out our online form. You can also reach out on someone’s behalf, or if you need assistance or advice on how to walk with abuse survivors.

9. If I am uncomfortable speaking directly to a pastor about my experiences, how would I receive care?

The response team was formed with a range of sensitivities and needs in mind. Team members are available if you are more comfortable sharing your needs with a female ministry leader (or have one accompany you during meetings with pastors).

10. Will my/my family’s privacy be protected?

The team will do everything possible to be sensitive and confidential with any information that is shared with us. However, if there is harm being done to an individual (particularly if it is a child, elderly or disabled person) we are required by Singaporean law to report to authorities.

11. What is the Biblical teaching around marital abuse/domestic violence/corporal punishment of children?

At RHC, we:

- Believe in the protection of individuals as God’s image-bearers 

- Hold a high view of marriage

- Promote restorative forms of discipline for children

If you’d like to discuss this more in detail, we invite you to come speak to our response team or one of our pastors. 

12. Are there additional resources that you’d recommend on the topic of abuse?


13. What policies does RHC have on misconduct and abuse?

RHC leaders are working to draft policies and processes for whistleblowing, investigating and discipline if there are accusations of abuse or misconduct within the church. We take these matters very seriously, and seek to foster an environment of transparency and accountability.

14. What about conflict of interest (for elders, response team, etc).

If there is an apparent conflict of interest between a report of abuse and a member of the eldership board or response team, that member will excuse themselves from the subsequent investigation or care process. This includes persons who are family members, connected through employment, or closely linked through friendship or other relationships.