Imagine a young woman who has just been sexually assaulted by a priest during confession. Leaving what was meant to be a sacred experience, she feels lost and unsure of whom to turn to in her parish, wondering if anyone would truly understand or believe her. Now picture another woman enduring domestic violence at home; after mustering the courage to confide in a bishop, she is met with the suggestion that she simply needs a change of scenery, leaving her feeling invalidated and dismissed. Envision a young woman seeking spiritual nourishment at a monastery, only to be pressured into marrying an abusive partner— spiritualizing the abuse and putting her life in danger. And finally, imagine a 17-year-old girl being groomed by a 30-year-old man in her parish, only to find herself being blamed later for the experience.
These are some of the incidences of abuse that I have seen and heard from women in the Orthodox Church. But they only scratch the surface.