David Henke, Watchman.org, slightly edited with permission 8/31/25 David Henke, Watchman.org, slightly edited with permission 8/31/25

Spiritual Abuse

Spiritual abuse victims share the same symptoms as victims of incest. The common denominator between the two is that the parent and the spiritual leader are both the most intimate caregivers, and the boundaries they cross are the most intimate. Therefore, the damage is far greater, it strikes at the very soul of a person.

The victims then withdraw from the source of their injury whether it is the opposite sex or the spiritual leader. They fear letting themselves be ‘touched’ again. In the case of spiritual abuse, the church represents trauma not refuge. This is why so many abuse victims leave church and don’t come back for years or never.