
CANTON, New York (WWNY) – People in St. Lawrence County are pushing for state legislation that would require all members of the clergy to report child abuse.
Right now, New York has a list of “mandatory reporters” such as doctors, teachers and childcare center workers. Clergy is not included on that list.
“They don’t believe that there’s anything in the Bible that mandates that they have to tell authorities or tell anyone else that the perpetrator has committed a crime against a child,” said Michelle Wilbur.
Wilbur and others stood in front of the St. Lawrence County Courthouse Friday, calling on state lawmakers to pass the Child Abuse Reporting Expansion Act.
The CARE Act would require all clergy members in the state to report child abuse and mistreatment.
The measure was introduced in 2019, but so far the legislation has not passed in Albany.
Reverend James Galasinksi runs the Unitarian Universalist Church in Canton and was surprised to hear reporting is not mandated in New York.
“I’m really appalled that clergy aren’t mandated to report abuse and sexual misconduct already. We already have in my congregation rules to do that, but this should be mandated for all clergy,” he said.
Wilbur is part of a local group called CFCtoo. Members say they’ve experienced emotional, physical and sexual abuse at the hands of leaders at Christian Fellowship Center, which has 5 locations in St. Lawrence and Franklin counties. She claims the centers don’t report abuse.
“There is a portion of Christian Fellowship Center called Christian Fellowship Academy where there are people that are teachers that teach children…They are mandated reporters and those people are not reporting the abuse even though they are aware of it,” said Wilbur.
Pastor Rick Sinclair with the Christian Fellowship Center sent a statement saying, “Child abuse of any kind is a heinous sin. We have never covered up any abuse. God hates abuse, and so do we at CFC.”
According to Assemblymember Monica Wallace (D. – 143rd District), the CARE Act will be reintroduced at the next legislative session in Albany in January.
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