Safeguarding training has become a natural part of church life - and rightly so. But there’s one area that’s often less understood, harder to spot, and sometimes uncomfortable to talk about - spiritual abuse. For safeguarding leads, church leaders or volunteers, understanding this form of harm is no longer optional. It’s essential.
If you’re a safeguarding lead or church leader, it’s worth asking:
- Do we really understand spiritual abuse in our context?
- Would we recognise it if it were happening?
- Are we equipped to respond well?
If the answer is “I’m not sure,” you’re not alone.
Taking time to learn, reflect and get equipped is one of the most important steps you can take to protect the people in your care.
So, what is spiritual abuse?
At its simplest, spiritual abuse is when someone uses faith, belief, or spiritual authority to control or harm another person.
It’s a form of psychological and emotional abuse that happens in a religious context, often involving coercion and control.
It often involves using power — usually “in the name of God” — to pressure, confuse, or manipulate someone.
What does it look or feel like?
Spiritual abuse can be incredibly subtle, and because it’s wrapped up in faith, it can be especially hard to recognise.
It might look like:
- using Bible verses or teaching to justify harmful behaviour
- pressuring someone to serve, give, or comply beyond what feels right for them
- requiring silence or secrecy
- making someone feel fearful of “spiritual consequences” if they disagree
- expecting unquestioning obedience to a leader
- isolating people or discouraging outside relationships
For the person experiencing it, it can feel confusing and disorientating. People may start to question their own judgement, lose confidence, or feel trapped. Over time, it can deeply affect their sense of identity, wellbeing, and even their relationship with God.
Many victim-survivors describe losing trust not just in a leader, but in faith communities as a whole.
Why is this such an important issue?
Spiritual abuse is an issue because of the very nature of church life. Churches are places of trust, belonging and care. People come with openness, vulnerability, and a desire to grow. That’s a beautiful thing - but it also creates the potential for that trust to be misused.
And when harm happens in a spiritual context, it cuts deeply. It doesn’t just affect someone emotionally, it can impact their faith, their identity, and their wider relationships.
Why training makes a difference
A challenge with spiritual abuse is that it isn’t clearly recognised by everyone. It’s not a standalone legal category of abuse, and it overlaps with other forms of abuse. Also, it can be subtle or hidden, meaning we don’t recognise the signs when it’s happening.
Without awareness and training, it can go unnoticed or be misunderstood. This is exactly why spiritual abuse training is so important for safeguarding leads, church leaders and volunteers.
Training helps people:
- recognise patterns of coercion, control and misuse of power
- understand the impact on those who experience it
- respond appropriately and safely when concerns are raised
- navigate the grey areas that can feel complex or ambiguous
- build healthier, safer cultures from the ground up
At Thirtyone:eight, our training brings together real-world scenarios, survivor insights, and practical safeguarding approaches to help people spot what might otherwise be missed.
Our training will not only give you knowledge, but also the confidence you need to notice, ask questions and to respond appropriately.
Creating cultures where harm can’t thrive
Safeguarding isn’t about processes. It’s about people. It’s about creating communities where faith truly brings freedom, not harm.
Healthy church cultures are ones where:
- leaders are accountable and open to challenge
- people feel safe to speak up
- differences of opinion are welcomed, not shut down
- power is used wisely and transparently
- safeguarding is recognised as everyone's responsibility
When those things are in place, it becomes much harder for abuse — including spiritual abuse — to take root.
Spiritual abuse can be difficult to spot — but with the right training, your leaders and safeguarding team can feel confident to recognise the signs, respond well, and build healthier church cultures.
Safeguarding and Spiritual Abuse Training
This course from Thirtyone:eight offers a clear, practical introduction to spiritual abuse as a safeguarding issue. You’ll explore:
- what spiritual abuse is and how it develops
- the impact it can have — emotionally, psychologically and spiritually
- how to recognise harmful patterns and misuse of power
- what good, proportionate responses look like
- how to foster safer, healthier cultures in your church or organisation
The training is built around four key themes:
- The Harm
- The Distortion
- The Ambiguity
- The Practice
helping you navigate both clear-cut situations and more complex grey areas.
Who it’s for
Whether you’re a safeguarding lead, church leader, trustee or volunteer, this training will give you the confidence and insight you need to play your part in creating safer communities.
What to expect
This interactive online course runs over two engaging sessions (either on the same day or across two consecutive days), each lasting 2.5 hours. To get the full benefit, delegates must attend both sessions — with the learning building step by step across the programme.
Delivered by one of our experienced trainers, the sessions combine:
- practical teaching
- short films and real-life examples
- small group discussion and reflection
All at a steady, accessible pace. You will find this training especially helpful if you already have a foundation in safeguarding.