Being Prepared for Misconduct Allegations

Being Prepared for Misconduct Allegations and Other Crises

When ministry leaders receive an allegation of abuse or misconduct, or other crises that may occur such as an act of violence or a cybersecurity issue, it’s a huge shock. If they are not well prepared, it’s easy to respond wrongly in ways that make the situation worse. Preparation will help leaders triage, act well, and keep people safe.

Preparation is Key

Organizations need to have protocols and response plans in place. These set a pattern for response. When allegations surface, the shock and emotional toll on everyone involved can rock them off balance. Intuitive responses may fail, not because of a lack of compassion among spiritual leaders but due to the emotional impact and a lack of expertise. This failure can include both practical steps on responding to the crisis, and communications about the crisis. Failure to respond well can be avoided by having policies and processes in place that will guide leaders involved.
In today's unpredictable world, crises may come in different forms, from workplace misconduct to child abuse to natural disasters to security issues. To navigate these, plans must be in place.

Act Quickly: Triage

Allegations, especially those involving minors, require immediate action. Mandatory reporting laws require child abuse allegations to be reported to law enforcement or child protective services. It’s also important to guard the safety of those who may have been harmed or who could be harmed, which may require protective action. 

Response Team

A dedicated response team, ideally formed long before any allegations, can manage the organization's reaction. This team will have individuals with diverse skills and an understanding of their roles, including handling sensitive information, legal obligations, and pastoral care. A response team will look different across different environments, such as child safeguarding, cybersecurity, physical security, and HR.

Response Plan

Response teams should have a response plan in place relevant to their role. This may be a child safeguarding team that is fully prepared to make child abuse reports, design safety plans, evaluate whether an investigation is needed, and provide care to those harmed. It may be a team that has designed a cybersecurity response, from handling issues on the tech side to publishing communications. It may be a team prepared to respond to natural disasters, include supporting safety or evacuating people.

A response plan should include a plan for crisis communications, as rapid and clear communications can prevent confusion and mitigate damage. This will include vulnerabilities of the organization and preparing for key communication roles. The effectiveness of crisis communications will also depend on the foundation of trust with stakeholders before the crisis—are regular communications clear, consistent, and caring?

Safety Plans and Pastoral Support

Safety plans will also look different, depending on what is going on. For workplace misconduct or child abuse allegations, they may include removing the accused from contact with vulnerable individuals. This may include placing people on administrative leave (usually paid). Professionals may need to be involved for trauma support. Pastoral support will likely be need for all stakeholders: those harmed, the accused, and the community at large. Support for those harmed and the accused should be provided by individuals not otherwise involved in the process. 

For other issues, safety plans could look like shutting down access to computer systems or securing data in a cybersecurity attack, planning how to evacuate or keep people safe during a natural disaster, or solving physical security problems.

Community Communications

Communications should be made carefully. Privacy can be important in a number of situations. If there has been a severe injury or death, personal details should usually not be shared before family members are informed and law enforcement has decided to release information publicly. In a misconduct investigation, allegations have not usually been substantiated at this stage. Stakeholders may have a need to know some details, but maintaining the privacy of those involved and the integrity of the investigation is crucial. It’s important to identify the circle of those who do need to know what is going on, and how quickly they need to know it. Under-sharing may result in a cover-up, but over-sharing can result in breaches of confidentiality and further harm done.

Honesty and transparency are still important, even in challenging situations. If information cannot be shared, giving a reason why can be helpful. Statements should be not be misleading. Information that can be shared should be provided in a clear, consistent way across the messaging platforms, which can include email, social media, text notifications, press releases and interviews, etc. The forms of media to use can be part of the crisis response plan.

Being forthright about what you know, what you don't know, and what you can't tell helps to maintain credibility in a crisis. For example, in a ransomware attack, communication may be needed with members, clients, and customers to share information honestly but assure people there is a response plan. In an active shooting episode, good communication with stakeholders and the media will help re-establish safety and assure people there is a response plan. In an investigation, update about progress can be helpful to stakeholders in a narrow or wider audience. But in all situations, there may be information that is not known or should not be told.

Regular updates about what is going on and reassurances of the organization’s commitment to safety and justice can help maintain trust within the community. Keeping the community informed within appropriate limits reinforces trust and confidence.

Dedicated Spokesperson

A crisis response team should identify a well-trained spokesperson (who could serve on more than one response team if needed). This person should handle all communications to internal staff, the public, and the media. This person should work very closely with both the crisis response team and organizational leadership. Having a unified voice helps prevent confusion and strengthens organizational credibility.

Timing of Communications

Quick and reliable communication during a crisis is important. Communication must be timely and accurate to prevent confusion and minimizing damage to both reputation and operations. When organizations fail to respond quickly or they communicate poorly, the situation can escalate, leading to severe consequences. Consequences of failing to communicate adequately can include panic and chaos, loss of trust, and failure to understand the story of what is going on. 

Often, organizations will need to acknowledge a crisis and provide initial facts within 15 minutes. They may need to release more details within an hour and be prepared for media engagement in 90 minutes. This requires advance preparation by trained people.

Conclusion

The initial responses to allegations within organizations can significantly impact the individuals involved, the community, and show the organization’s commitment to justice and safety.