On the morning of Tuesday, 20 January, representatives of the Mesa Salmo 15 (Psalm 15 Table, MS15) platform and GRACE met with María Eugenia Prendes, the Prosecutor for Violence Against Women at the State Attorney General’s Office.

Representing MS15, a Spanish evangelical platform working to address sexual abuse in Christian environments, were evangelical pastor Ana Giménez, evangelical pastor Asun Quintana, Christian apologist Andy Wickham, and Pedro Tarquis, director of the media group Areópago Protestante.

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GRACE (Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment) is a respected international entity that trains, equips, educates and researches with the aim of achieving effective protection and adequate accountability that empowers Christian communities to recognise, prevent and respond to abuse.

Prosecutor Robert Peters and trauma expert Laura Thien

In the meeting with the Spanish prosecutor, GRACE was represented by Robert Peters, Director of Institutional Response at GRACE. Peter is a former state prosecutor specialising in child sexual abuse, domestic violence and online exploitation. He trains prosecutors and law enforcement agencies throughout the US, and oversees GRACE's investigations.

The other member of GRACE at the meetings was Laura Thien, Executive Director of GRACE, a licensed clinical social worker with experience in trauma treatment for survivors of abuse and other forms of violence and advocacy for survivors of sexual assault. She is also trains faith communities, and has been in the leadership on boards of non-profit organisations and professionals on issues of abuse prevention and response.

A fluid dialogue

The conversation in the prosecutor’s office in Madrid first addressed the reality of abuse in the Christian environment, both internationally and in Spain, explaining the concern that led to the creation of the MS15 platform and its perspective of prioritising prevention and care for victims over institutional interests or complacent passivity.

The various initiatives and projects already underway by MS15 were also explained (some of them in collaboration with the Seneca Falls Platform), including a proposition to amend the Spanish law on sexual abuse.

On this last point, Prendes agreed that the current law on sexual abuse leaves loopholes and grey areas, and she found the possible amendments to the law that would consider the idea of spiritual abuse, as well as raising awareness and refining the concept of vitiated consent, and preventing convicted abusers in the Christian environment from continuing to carry out their work, to be interesting.

In this regard, Spain’s prosecutor for violence against women encouraged the development of these ideas to be further refined in consultation with social actors (political parties, women's organizations, the state's Ombudsman, the cybercrime prosecutor's office, the media, etc.). She offered to facilitate contact within her capacity.

Prosecutor interested in pioneer work of GRACE

For its part, GRACE explained its work in different countries and religious environments, its method of investigation and reporting in collaboration with local authorities.

María Eugenia Prendes valued this work for its professionalism and, of particular importance, for its independence from the individuals or entities under investigation, understanding that this work could be of support in some of the investigations prior to or subsequent to charges being filed.

In Prendes’ opinion, GRACE’s vision and work serves to “open our eyes to a reality that goes unnoticed and that is undoubtedly important to address”.

The possibility was even considered of GRACE participating in some of the courses that the Public Prosecutor’s Office o Spain holds annually to train and update its prosecutors.

The rest of the agenda of GRACE’s visit to Spain

Laura Thien and Robert Peters arrived on Monday in Madrid, invited by the group of evangelical leaders Mesa Salmo 15 on Monday 19 January.

In the afternoon of Tuesday, meetings to share resources, ideas, and potential plans of future partnership were discussed. Two members of a group in Colombia addressing these issues and working with victims of abuse in evangelicals contexts also shared about their experience in Latin America.

The representatives of Grace will be meeting media and political representatives in Madrid this week, and on Thursday 22 offer an intensive afternoon of training for around 70 evangelical pastors and Christian organisation leaders.

On Friday 23, they will travel to the city of Valencia with another gathering with evangelical leaders.

A last gathering on that afternoon back in Madrid will give the chance to legal professionals (lawyers, criminologists, etc.)

For contact or further information, Mesa Salmo 15 offers is available at this email address.