We’ve talked about why this paper is necessary and what to expect from it; today we’ll share a bit about how to read the white paper. This paper is important—but it is also heavy.

Sexual harassment, abuse, and assault are not abstract topics. They touch real lives, real bodies, real stories, and real spiritual questions. For many readers, this material will feel personal. For others, it may feel overwhelming or unfamiliar. For all of us, it requires care.

So when you begin, we want to offer a simple encouragement:

Don’t rush. Don’t read alone if you need support. And don’t treat this like ordinary content. It’s unlikely you’ll read it all in one sitting.

Here are seven ways to engage the paper thoughtfully and well.

1. Read it slowly, not quickly.

This is not a paper to skim in one sitting. Give yourself permission to pause, take breaks, and return later. Some sections may land with unexpected weight, and that is normal.

2. Pay attention to what surfaces in you.

As you read, you may notice anger, sadness, confusion, grief, or even numbness. These are not distractions—they are signals. This topic involves harm, injustice, and vulnerability. Emotional responses are part of honest engagement.

3. Consider your own proximity to the topic.

Some readers have direct experience with sexual harassment, abuse, or assault. Others have supported someone who has. Others may be encountering the depth of this issue for the first time. Wherever you are coming from, your lens matters. Be gentle with yourself.

4. Read with a posture of responsibility, not just curiosity.

This paper is not meant to provoke outrage or simply increase awareness. It is meant to invite action: clearer preparation, stronger systems, better care, and greater accountability. Ask as you read: What does faithfulness look like in response?

5. Engage in conversation, not isolation.

If you are part of a team, church, or organization, consider reading alongside others. This is community work. The burden does not fall on individuals alone, and the solutions will require collective courage.

6. Know that support is available.

For those carrying undisclosed experiences of harassment, abuse, or assault, reading may feel especially tender. Please know: you are not alone, and you are not overreacting. If you need to pause, reach out, or seek support, that is wisdom—not weakness.

7. Let this lead somewhere.

Our hope is that this paper does not simply inform, but forms. That it helps build safer cultures, clearer pathways, and stronger bridges across a gorge that has been ignored for too long.

This is difficult work. But it is necessary work. And it is work we do together. We’ve shared before that our mantra has been “This isn’t how it’s supposed to be, so let’s talk about it”—often said with a hopeful tone!—”and then let’s do something about sexual harassment, abuse, and assault.” 

On Thursday you will be able to download and read the paper. We’ve been praying for the good work that God has for it in the world, and we invite you to pray with us. Thanks for being here and for caring about topics like this.

With blessing,
Amy, Stacey, and Danny