By Jessyka Dooley
Recently, a woman by the name of Dr. Christine Blasey Ford came forward accusing Supreme Court nominee Judge Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault. Due to political light shining on Kavanaugh, Dr. Ford’s story has become one of public conversation, questioning, and scrutiny. Whether private or public, we adults all have our own thoughts on this situation, but we are not the only ones with thoughts. Who else is watching the hearings? Who else is reading the news articles? Who else is scrolling through massive numbers of tweets? Our teenagers are. Unfortunately for our teens, they are not hearing grown ups educate them on sexual assault, but rather politicians saying anything they can to defend their own party.
A common thread of conversation is that, since this accusation was from when Kavanaugh was a teenager, it should be taken less seriously. “Boys will be boys” is a mantra used by both influential and ordinary people alike. In Joe Pinsker’s article (“What Teens Think of the Kavanaugh Accusations”) in The Atlantic, he shares his conversations with the teenagers themselves:
“As they’ve watched the news unfold, some of them have become frustrated. ‘They just keep saying “He was in high school—boys will be boys,”’ says Maurielle, a 17-year-old from Houston. ‘But I’m in high school—I don’t want that to happen to me.’ She went on, ‘It feels alienating reading what’s happening, because they’re blaming so much on the fact that they were in high school and they were young.’ Julianna, a 17-year-old from outside of Pittsburgh, said she also rejected what she called ‘the whole ‘But maybe they didn’t know better at that age argument.’”
Teens seem to believe that they are old enough and mature enough to be held to high moral standards, and I agree. So what has this situation involving Brett Kavanaugh and Dr. Ford taught us? If anything, I hope it’s taught us what not to do. If a teenager at your church shared a similar story with you, I hope you would take them seriously. I hope you would listen to them. I hope you would take your role as a trusted adult seriously. I hope you would never diminish their situation because it “could have been worse.” I hope you would protect them.
Over two thirds of sexual assault victims do not report their abuse. For many it is difficult and embarrassing to share. For many, the treatment of Dr. Ford has revealed that it is not always safe to share your story. Ford has been mocked publicly by some of the most powerful people in our country and the world. I can’t help but think, what if that was one of the teen girls at my church?
In a world of chaotic, selfish conversation around topics such as sex, assault, and consent, we need to step up as a church. We need to have these conversations with our teenagers. We need to hold them to high standards, teaching them to love and respect one another, because each and every person is made in the image of God. We should hold our teenagers to higher standards than the U.S. government holds Supreme Court nominees. Our churches should be places of high standards and deep love. Our churches should be safe places where victims are heard, believed, and protected.
As politics begin to take over on moral issues, many retreat from big conversations like this. We do not want to be caught up in the political conversation, but to what ends? We cannot let the drama of political parties drive us away from caring about issues that happen to real people in our church families and communities. If this was not Judge Kavanaugh and Dr. Ford, and this was a 15-year-old girl, Chris- tine, telling you about something a 17-year-old boy, Brett, did to her, what would be your response?
Our teenagers are hearing responses that are dripping with politics. So what responses are teenagers hearing our church give? Hearing you give? I pray that our words are not formulated by our political affiliation, but rather are formed by our affiliation to Jesus. What would Jesus say to a teenage boy or girl sharing a personal story of sexual assault?
–Jessyka Dooley is associate pastor at Boulder Adventist Church. Email her at: [email protected]