Covenant Friendship Ministries

We need to be honest about what the data actually says.

False allegations do happen.
But they are rare.

Most research puts them between 2–10%.
Some studies find even lower.

Now compare that to what survivors face.

Only a fraction of victims ever come forward.
And when they do, many are met with doubt, silence, or blame.

Disbelief isn’t hypothetical.
It’s documented.

Survivors consistently report that not being believed
is one of the biggest barriers to reporting
and one of the most painful parts of the process.

In clergy abuse contexts, it gets even heavier.

One study of adult survivors of pastor s*xual exploitation
found institutional betrayal in 100% of cases.
Every single one.
Let that sink in.

And here’s something else we need to understand:
“Not enough evidence” does not mean “it didn’t happen.”

Abuse often happens in private.
Evidence is often delayed or nonexistent.
That’s the reality, not the exception.

So when we say “Believe Victims,”
we’re not ignoring truth.

We’re responding to it.

Because the bigger problem isn’t false accusations.
It’s how often survivors are dismissed, doubted, or left alone.

Listen. Believe. And do something about it. 💯

www.TellSomebodyToday.com