Yes, the mentality of missions is strong. The idea that parents cannot fulfill their call to the Lord with children at home on the mission field prevails. The priority of missionary sending denominations is the missionary call; children take second place. Even if the couple chooses to homeschool their child, if they cannot reach the set goal or quota of service, they are commonly forced to make other schooling arrangements.
Yes, though missionary sending denominations are forced to acknowledge awareness as publicity of this issue increases, abuse still exists and it is pervasive. There are many reasons for this problem. The website, http://www.mksafetynet.net offers in-depth information explaining why this is so. On the MK Safety Net site under the Media link, an article from Stop Baptist Predators.org, dated August 27, 2007 deals with the issue of child sex abuse by clergy.
Whether in boarding school or in church, the problem is still pervasive.
Some adult MKs are dealing with the abuse issues of their past; others are in different stages of life and doing what they feel is best for themselves. Some MKs are struggling with or unable to address their issues, especially those who have encountered opposition and counter-attack from their church or Christian friends. The link, http://www.fandaeagles.com, presents the evasive tactics that New Tribes Missions (NTM) is currently using against the children of their own missionaries.
Those who are working through their issues are often at different stages on this extreme roller-coaster ride. Some are writing books (like myself), others are proactively working with organizations such as those I have listed on my web site under the Resources drop down link.
As of today, there have not been many changes in policy regarding missionary parents and their children. MK Safety Net (http://www.mksafetynet.net) has a link to survey responses from less than ten out eighteen missionary sending denominations.
One of the most egregious problems is the refusal of these denominations to release the reports of child abuse, including sexual attacks, to the outside local authorities. The mentality of "forgive and forget," and "restore the sinner" prevails. Perpetrators are dealt with through in-house hierarchal authority. It is extremely rare when a denomination takes concrete steps to report the crime and the criminal to the local/state authority.
In most cases, as with the Catholic church, abusers are sent off to another district or area of ministry. The perpetrator may well be "kicked out" of the denomination, but is not prosecuted. Many denominations, such as the Southern Baptists have policies of autonomy for individual groups. No set policy for handling sexual crimes and abuse issues exists in the governing board policies of this denomination.
Over the many years of my young adulthood and parenthood, my memories attempted to resurface. In those days, my life was consumed with care of children, working a home upholstery business, and making my life as productive as possible. I simply could not deal with surging, terrifying, dark glimpses of my past. I have had nightmares that recur, even to this time at my current age of 61. At age fifty-five I finally had time and space to permit these billowing storm clouds with accompanying rages, grief, confusion and much more,to overtake my life.
Without the support and patience, the love and understanding of my husband, Dan I could not have walked through this process. it has taken me five years. In the second year of my journey I was challenged by dear friends, Ray and Liz Levesque, Native American teachers and counsellors to write a book. Writing my story has been one of the best things I have done for myself.