BJUnity

Editor’s note: this past weekend, a sexual abuse survivor who is among the BJUnity constituency shared the following story with our community. With her permission, we are sharing her story anonymously (to protect her anonymity as a survivor of childhood sexual abuse) in response to the 301 page G.R.A.C.E. Report released on December 11, 2014 by the organization Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment. G.R.A.C.E.’s report highlights the unusual lack of professional competence (insufficient educational background, disregard for minimum standards of supervised counseling experience, and the absence of appropriate licensure) and lack  of compliance to professional ethical guidelines (regular breaches of confidentiality in a punitive, emotionally unsafe environment, focused on rapid results) which characterizes Bob Jones University’s on-campus counseling and counseling training programs. Based on yesterday’s chapel talk which appears not to have been intended for public dissemination but is available courtesy of BJU News, an unaffiliated watchdog website, it seems Mr. Pettit, BJU’s current executive is unaware of the legal definitions under South Carolina statutes for sexual assault, so here they are for his reference and yours:  http://www.scstatehouse.gov/code/t16c003.php  

Here is another survivor’s story of childhood abuse and re-victimization at Bob Jones University:

Anonymous Lesbian

From the time I was six years old until after I turned eleven, I was frequently raped by one of my uncles. My mind responded by blocking any memories of the rape until decades later.

I attended Bob Jones University from 1998 to 2004, earning both a B.S. and a Master’s degree. During my first year at college, I experienced a significant amount of unease, likely brought on by being surrounded by so many male college students who were the same age my rapist had been. In addition to the standard issue homesickness and adjustment to the world’s most unusual college experience, I was anxious. Rather than try to suffer through this alone, I sought help.

I told my counselor, Pat Berg (wife of Jim Berg), that I was anxious and fearful around male students. Her solution to this was for me to read her husband’s book Changed into His Image and to complete the (then unpublished) accompanying workbook. There was never any discussion of why and where I had gotten this anxiety. There was no weekly checkup as to how I was actually doing. Completing this workbook, needless to say, did not resolve the issue.

Fast forward quite a few years. I have completed my education and am in turn educating others at a private Christian IFB (Independent Fundamental Baptist) school. One summer evening my mind suddenly unlocks and I am overwhelmed by flashbacks featuring years of abuse, assault, and rape. I could barely process what was happening, and I knew I would need help to get through this. The IFB in general and BJU specifically recommend always getting counseling/support from pastoral staff rather than a licensed professional.

I met with a BJU-educated counselor recommended by my church. Her children, apparently, had suffered through similar circumstances, so she was suggested as the best person to help me. In our first and only several-hour meeting, I was asked why I was remembering these things now and was told that I must be thinking about the rape because I enjoyed it. I was never made aware that flashbacks are a common symptom of PTSD, that they are, in fact, not something I actively choose to think of. Her proposed solution to my difficulties was that I should write bible verses on index cards, and anytime I had a flashback I should read those cards out loud, over and over, until the flashback went away. I came away from this meeting believing that I was to blame for the flashbacks, for the anxiety, indeed even for the rape. As a six-year old, I must have invited the rape somehow.

When I left the IFB behind, I was finally able to find a licensed therapist who had training and experience in working with survivors of sexual assault. She was the first one to tell me it was not my fault. She was the first one to offer me hope of healing. She was the first one who didn’t make me feel guilty and dirty for having been raped as a child.
For years I have been ignoring the fact that I ever attended BJU. I have removed it from my resume and reserve any “when I was at BJU” stories for private conversations with the handful of people in my life who know about it. The GRACE report reminded me, though, that there are other survivors who are not so fortunate, those who are still sitting in weekly “counseling” sessions where they are reminded that the assault was their fault and that indeed they should repent of flashbacks, should instantly forgive their abusers, and should try to “move on” to avoid bitterness and avoid spoiling the reputation of the IFB.

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Editor’s postscript: If you or someone you know are the victim of a sexual assault (involuntary, non-consensual, sexual activity or contact of any kind), you are not alone. If the situation has just occurred, we recommend seeking immediate medical attention, including appropriate and ongoing mental health care with a licensed counselor. If you are struggling with the effects of a sexual trauma, please also seek support from a licensed counselor who specializes in treating survivors of sexual assault. It is unethical for a licensed counselor to offer you a different standard of treatment based on your disclosed or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. In Greenville, South Carolina, the Julie Valentine Center offers counseling and support services to sexual assault survivors without prejudice to sexual orientation or gender identity.

We also recommend reporting to the appropriate law enforcement agency as soon as you are able, even if the assault happened in the past. South Carolina law provides no statute of limitations for reporting and prosecuting childhood sexual abuse. Even when a statute of limitations applies, it is always a good idea to make a police report. Many sexual assailants continue to assault others until they are apprehended. You may be helping another victim to see justice by making a report. But the decision to report is yours, and no one should pressure you to report if you are not ready. 

In Greenville, South Carolina, the city police department offers support through victim’s advocates to assist in reporting crimes which occur within city limits (including those that occur on the campus of Bob Jones University). The Greenville County Sherriff’s Department offers similar access to victim’s advocates in cases where the crime occurs in the county limits, but outside the city limits. Under South Carolina Law, every victim of a crime has rights which are enumerated in the South Carolina Victim’s Bill of Rights.  It is illegal for law enforcement officers to intimidate, harrass, or abuse you in any way. You have a number of  rights as a victim, including the right to anonymity in disclosures of childhood sexual abuse throughout the process. You deserve a professional, compassionate response to your report.