Misuse survivors require boycott of Episcopal Diocese of Virginia
Initiative accompanies political election of bishop diocesan
ALEXANDRIA, Va. — The Episcopal Survivors Network (ESN), a team of sufferers of misuse in the Episcopal Church, is requiring a boycott of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia over the diocese’s recurring rejection to deal with clergy misuse in the church. The statement comes as agents of the diocese fulfill in Alexandria to choose a brand-new bishop diocesan.
“We have actually alerted all 4 prospects for diocesan of our issues in creating, along with the standing board, the exec board, and also clergymans throughout the diocese,” stated ESN agent Eric Bonetti. “Just one prospect also recognized our issues, and also we were continuously rejected by participants of the standing board. Others provided us political, anodyne responses. One also informed us we are ‘definitely wrong’ for whining.”
“Provided this utter absence of honesty, we are contacting all individuals that have actually experienced misuse to boycott the diocese and also to hold back all kinds of assistance,” Bonetti revealed. “That consists of promises, legacies, loosened plate contributions, volunteer labor, and also anything else that could permit the diocese to proceed company as typical.
“Our needs are reasonable, affordable, and also regular with the church’s faith:
- Taking misuse seriously.
- Finishing victim-shaming, demonization, marginalization, and also disparagement.
- Restricting clergy from taking part in revenge for the declaring of Title IV grievances.
- Finishing coverup of outright situations of unwanted sexual advances of women church employees by clergy.
- Finishing the diocese’s present method of calling for sufferers of misuse to visit court to get remedy.
- Finishing the diocese’s present method of disregarding Title IV grievances on the basis that criminal costs have actually not been brought.
- Finishing the diocese’s present method of disregarding sufferers of misuse on the basis that diocesans have actually been informed by the diocesan chancellor ‘not to obtain as well included.’
- Finishing the diocese’s plan of leveling corrective costs versus clergy along with residential or commercial property conflicts, while specifying that the diocese cannot go after corrective costs versus clergy if the misuse sufferer submits a suit.
- Taking official activity to interfere in high-conflict churches and also scenarios via use outdoors professionals.
- Pulling back in creating untruthful declarations made by diocesan authorities regarding existing disputes.
- Explaining that whistleblowers are recognized and also appreciated, and also acting in the church’s benefit.
- Embracing created whistleblower and also anti-bullying arrangements.
- Including harassing to existing secure church training.
- Eliminating church authorities, chancellors, consumption police officers, and also others that have actually covered misuse or helped and also urged it by disregarding.
- Enforcing self-control on violent clergy, as much as and also consisting of defrocking them.
- Taking part in truth-telling regarding the church’s function in misuse of all types.
“We will certainly not disregard to the church’s recurring function in misuse,” Bonetti included. “It is impossible that a for-profit firm would certainly inform individuals that prohibited conduct by its staff members serves on the basis that they have actually not dealt with criminal costs. Yet that is specifically what the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia has actually done, in creating, on numerous events. As well as it is dreadful that the diocese absolutely disregards ladies that have actually dealt with outright unwanted sexual advances by clergy.
“Neither will certainly we approve objections by church participants that inform us our experiences are ‘a lot of garbage,’ that make profane motions, that comb us off, or otherwise act severely. Either the diocese tidies up its act, or we will certainly close it down. As well as offered the church’s quickly decreasing subscription, if absolutely nothing else we will certainly outlive the diocese,” Bonetti wrapped up.
The team has actually introduced a site, boycottdiova.org, and also will certainly be picketing churches, leafletting, and also structure unions with ladies’s teams, the LGBTQIA neighborhood, participants of BIPOC neighborhoods, and also others that have actually been abused, harassed, marginalized or suppressed by the diocese, its clergy and also its authorities.
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Get In Touch With:
Eric Bonetti
Episcopal Survivors Network
(240) 630-3767
[email protected]
Please note: The sights and also viewpoints revealed in this short article are those of the writers and also do not always mirror the main plan or placement of Faith Information Solution or Religious Beliefs Information Structure.
Navigating the Path Forward: Practical Guidance for Survivors and Allies
The call for a boycott represents a significant escalation in advocacy, moving from internal appeals to public accountability. For survivors and their supporters within the pews, this moment requires difficult personal discernment. Experts in organizational trauma stress that such actions, while painful, are often the only lever left when institutional gatekeepers repeatedly fail to listen. The goal is not to destroy the church, but to force the structural change necessary for its healing.
Practical Steps for Congregants and Donors
For those aligning with the boycott, clarity and consistency are key. Beyond withholding financial pledges, consider redirecting charitable giving to organizations with verified, survivor-centric practices. Volunteer labor can be offered directly to community outreach programs not under diocesan control. It is a common mistake to believe that voicing concern to a local rector is sufficient; real change requires pressure on the diocesan power structure, including chancellors and standing committees who often operate outside congregational view.
For those who remain active but seek reform, expert advice suggests moving beyond private complaints to documented, public questions during parish and diocesan meetings. Inquire about the specific budget allocated for survivor care and independent investigation. Ask for the diocese’s metrics on Title IV case resolution times. A powerful, often overlooked fact is that the Episcopal Church’s own Canons place the primary responsibility for responding to misconduct squarely on the diocesan bishop, making this election a critical inflection point. The silence of candidates on this issue, as noted by the ESN, is therefore a profound failure of leadership discernment.
Ultimately, this boycott underscores a tragic divergence between professed faith and institutional practice. The demands listed by survivors are not radical; they are foundational to any community claiming to operate with justice and compassion. As the diocese prepares to elect a new bishop, the message from survivors is clear: true pastoral leadership must begin with accountability for the wounded already in its fold, not with aspirations for future growth built on a broken foundation.
📅 Last updated: 20.12.2025
❓ Frequently Asked Questions
💬 What is the Episcopal Survivors Network (ESN) calling for?
The Episcopal Survivors Network is calling for a complete boycott of the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia. They are urging people to withhold all financial contributions and volunteer support due to the diocese’s failure to adequately address clergy abuse.
💬 Why is the Episcopal Diocese of Virginia being boycotted?
The boycott is due to the diocese’s alleged ongoing refusal to seriously address clergy abuse and its failure to engage with survivors’ concerns. This was highlighted by the dismissive responses survivors received from diocesan leadership and bishop candidates.
💬 What triggered the boycott announcement by the Episcopal Survivors Network?
The announcement was timed with the diocese’s election of a new bishop diocesan. The ESN stated that only one candidate acknowledged their concerns, while others were dismissive, leading to the call for a boycott.
