284. Sexual Assault and the Church. Interview with Cindy Clemishire

When Cindy Clemishire was twelve years old, a family friend and church pastor began sexually assaulting her. Five years later, she told her family. Roughly three decades later, the story went public. In those intervening years, her abuser expressed remorse over “having an inappropriate relationship” with a woman other than his wife. He never mentioned that the other “woman” was a child. His wife offered forgiveness to the child for “seducing her husband.” Today’s episode is an interview with a woman whose most of her adult life has been shaped by prolonged sexual abuse and the subsequent coverup. If you think you don’t know anyone who has been abused, please listen to this episode. Hearing some of the things she has to share will be hard, but this message is essential to get out. Listen to hear about how childhood trauma affects almost everything we do as adults.