A sexually healthy and responsible congregation is free from sexual abuse, sexual harassment, and sexual misconduct. Congregations need:

• explicit policies and procedures to keep children, youth, and adults safe from abuse and harassment;

• strong codes of conduct for religious professionals; and

• safeguards for congregants who have been accused or convicted of sexual offenses.

A safer congregation policy is the work of the entire congregation and touches on all aspects of congregational life. The resources below are meant to help guide your congregation through the process of evaluating and/or updating a current policy and creating a policy if none exists currently.

Recommended Resources

We recommend the following resources to help Unitarian Universalist congregations adopt and implement policies and procedures for sexual safety.

• Sexually Safer Best Practice Initiative. The Religious Institute, which has now closed, partnered with the Unitarian Universalist Association and created a list of the most important policies and practices that every congregation – regardless of size, theology, location, or demographic composition – should have in place. Though the initiative is no longer active, the recommendations are still helpful for congregational safety. Learn more about the 18 Sexually Safer Best Practices from the Religious Institute.

Sample Policies:

• The Unitarian Society of Ridgewood, NJ
• First Unitarian Church of Wilmington, DE