In Matthew 16, our Lord gathered His disciples outside of Jerusalem and asked them who they think He is. Peter responded, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” Upon hearing that revelation, the Lord said, “on this rock I will build My church.” We are reminded by this passage that the Church is her people. It is all the faithful, including the silent, the injured, the outcast, and the victimized.

It is with this spirit of oneness and in obedience to Proverbs 31:8 which reads, “open your mouth for the speechless,” that we commit ourselves to the cause of all victims and survivors, especially our precious women and children. With this in mind, the Coptic Orthodox Diocese of New York and New England  has implemented the following:

+ Adopting the Updated Sexual Misconduct and Physical Abuse and Neglect Policy
+ Engaging of a Third-Party Victim Reporting Center, Integrity Counts, reachable at 866-921-6714 or here.
+ Establishing Behavioral Guidelines on the Interaction with Minors for Clergy and all Diocese Servants and Workers
+ Mandatory Training for all Clergy on Diocese Policies and Procedures, including State-Mandated Reporting Requirements
+ Mandatory Acknowledgment and Receipt from all Clergy on Diocese Policies and Procedures

The Coptic Orthodox Diocese of New York and New England acknowledges the harm done by acts of sexual abuse. The resilience of victims and their trust in God’s mercy and ultimate justice stands as a testament of their faith and an example to us all.

Using these policies and procedures, the Diocese will work tirelessly for the prevention of such abuse and for the justice and healing for all those abused. The Church is her people and we are committed to the goal of all her people feeling safe and secure in her midst.

For any questions regarding the policy or its procedures, please contact your regional policy coordinator.

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