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hild-Friendly Faith Project President Janet Heimlich addresses attendees at the organization's first conference on November 8, 2013. Janet explains that the event marks the beginning of a unique opportunity: to start a conversation about how to protect children from abuse and neglect in faith communities. (7:00) Read more

Janet Heimlich, author of "Breaking Their Will," talks about religious child maltreatment. (7:00) Read more

Janet Heimlich, author of Breaking Their Will: Shedding Light on Religious Child Maltreatment, was the guest speaker at Atheists United. Her book is the first to take an in-depth look at child abuse and neglect caused by religious belief. Bethany Brittain joined Ms. Heimlich on stage to share her personal story about being abused as a child in the name of religion. (1:20:00) Read more

In Faith and In Doubt helps partners navigate the complexities of their situation while celebrating the extraordinary richness it affords their relationship, their children, and those around them. Read more

Raising Freethinkers covers every topic nonreligious parents need to know to help their children with their own moral, intellectual, and emotional development, including sound advice on religious-extended-family issues, death and life, secular celebrations, wondering and questioning, and more. Read more

Perfect for expecting parents who want to prepare themselves for the challenging toddler years (which starts around eight months of age), this essential guide, a national bestseller by respected pediatrician and child development expert Dr. Harvey Karp, not only helps reduce tantrums but makes happy kids even happier by boosting patience, cooperation, and self-confidence. Read more

Thousands of parents, from regular moms and dads to Hollywood superstars, have come to baby expert Dr. Harvey Karp to learn his remarkable techniques for soothing babies and increasing sleep. Now his landmark book—fully revised and updated with the latest insights into infant sleep, bedsharing, breastfeeding, swaddling, and SIDS risk—can teach you too! Read more

Everything you need to know about discipline to raise a happy, well-adjusted, well-behaved child-from America's foremost baby and childcare experts Disciplining children means equipping them with the tools to succeed in life. In this unique guide, Dr. Bill and Martha Sears, the pediatrics specialists whose books on birth, babies, and parenting have become widely praised bestsellers, explain what you can do to shape your child's behavior so that good conduct comes naturally. Read more

Dr. Bill and Martha Sears -- the doctor-and-nurse, husband-and-wife team who coined the term "attachment parenting" -- answer these and many more questions in this practical, inspiring guide. Attachment parenting is a style of parenting that encourages a strong early attachment, and advocates parental responsiveness to babies' dependency needs. Read more

The Searses draw from their vast experience both as medical professionals and pas parents to provide comprehensive information on virtually every aspect of infant care. The Baby Book focuses on the essential needs of babies -- eating, sleeping, develipment, health, and comfort -- as it addresses the questions of greatest concern to today's parents. Read more

Unconditional Parenting addresses the ways parents think about, feel about, and act with their children. It invites them to question their most basic assumptions about raising kids while offering a wealth of practical strategies for shifting from "doing to" to "working with" parenting - including how to replace praise with the unconditional support that children need to grow into healthy, caring, responsible people. Read more

"Relax, It's Just God" goes beyond the numbers to assist parents (and grandparents) who may be struggling to find the right time place, tone and language with which to talk about God, spirituality and organized religion. It encourages parents to promote religious literacy and understanding and to support kids as they explore religion on their own -- ensuring that each child makes up his or her own mind about what to believe (or not believe) and extends love and respect to those who may not agree with them. Read more

This candid parenting guide rejects the idea that parents need God to raise moral children. Full of practical advice drawn from nearly fifteen years of parenting and educating children, Be-Asia McKerracher offers parents an alternative to a strictly religious upbringing. Read more

In this wise and witty book, author, youth expert, and practicing minister Jeffrey D. Jones brings to light the spiritual aspects of parenting that are often ignored by popular experts and gurus. Jones shows you how to attend to your own inner spiritual life and to the quality of your relationships within your family. Read more

The non-therapeutic alteration of children’s genitals is typically discussed in two separate ethical discourses: one for girls, in which such alteration is conventionally referred to as “female genital mutilation” (or FGM), and one for boys, in which it is conventionally referred to as “male circumcision.” Read more

Now that Boys Ranch is dealing with claims of alleged abuse that go back decades, it would be best to remember what this place has meant for thousands of youth — primarily boys — who had no other place to go. Read more

Written from a psychological perspective while integrating cross-disciplinary viewpoints, this fully updated Second Edition takes a parent-centered approach to exploring topics such as the reasons behind parental behavior, the effect parents and children have on one another, and social policy′s ability to help families. Read more

StopSpanking.org provides parenting information that helps clarify how early spanking and other punitive parenting practices can negatively impact healthy brain development. Read more

How to discipline one’s child, like decisions to treat “by faith alone,” run deep in religious and cultural belief systems. State regulation of child rearing not only impacts parents’ liberty but a community’s ability to maintain identity and transmit norms. Often, state solicitude for parental autonomy dictates children’s fate. This Chapter explores the limits of parental autonomy, showing that constitutional cases grant autonomy when no harm would result. Read more

The American Academy of Pediatrics on Monday issued its most strongly worded policy statement against spanking children. Read more

Recognizing that children require special protections due to their vulnerabilities, the Center for the Human Rights of Children (CHRC), a University Center of Excellence, was established in 2007 to pursue an agenda of interdisciplinary research, outreach and education, and advocacy to address critical and complex issues affecting children and youth, both locally and globally Read more

Vennie Kocsis interviews Janet Heimlich and Dr. Jaime Romo on the impact of religious child maltreatment on her program Survivor Voices. (1:34:00) Read more

High-profile cases such as the child sexual abuse scandals in the Catholic Church and “faith healing” child death cases in some fundamentalist congregations have drawn attention to a serious yet misunderstood problem: religious child maltreatment or RCM. (1:04:00) Read more

Are you a survivor of religious child abuse or neglect? Which children are at risk today? These are questions our speaker answered during this enlightening Sunday Gathering. (26:00) Read more

Religious trauma syndrome (RTS) is a set of symptoms and characteristics which are related to harmful experiences with religion. Read more

Janet Heimlich is the founder of the Child-Friendly Faith Project and author of Breaking Their Will: Shedding Light on Religious Child Maltreatment, both of which examine child abuse and neglect that is enabled by religious belief in the United States. Janet is also a reporter who has worked for NPR and written for a variety of publications. (Full disclosure, I’m on the advisory board for the Child-Friendly Faith Project.) I spoke with her about the way children suffer at the hands of religion, whether teaching kids about Hell constitutes abuse, and what atheists can do to help. Read more

Child Honouring is a unifying vision by which societies can re-order their priorities, a central organizing principle for sustainable, peace-making cultures. The center advances Child Honouring as a universal ethic, an essential code of conduct for all to embrace. Read more

Attorneys for the Rights of the Child (ARC) is a non-profit organization founded to secure equal protection for, and broaden judicial and public recognition of, children’s legal and human rights to bodily integrity and self-determination. Read more

Dr. Paul Offit talks about the importance of ensuring that all children are permitted needed medical care, even if their caretakers assert that their religious beliefs conflict with that need. (2:00) Read more

This presentation will feature a panel of parents who were raised in unhealthy, authoritarian communities or have raised their children in such environments. (1:53:00) Read more

Unity of Austin's Youth and Family Ministry Director Genevieve Saenz talks about what it was like to participate in the CFFP's Discussion Series, which is the first phase of its comprehensive Child-Friendly Faith Communities Designation Program. (5:00) Read more

The Designation Program is a unique curriculum designed specially for faith communities. Benefits include increasing understanding about child development, maltreatment, and protection. (4:00) Read more

On February 11, 2016, experts on faith, medicine, and children's rights gave a presentation in Boise, Idaho, to discuss the problem of "faith healing" child medical neglect and the need to repeal dangerous religious exemptions. (1:05:00) Read more

This talk discusses how incidents of domestic violence against women affect the well-being of children. (1:06:00) Read more

In this presentation, Mr. Hassan describes how people are recruited into a wide range of cult groups, including those that engage in human trafficking, and how they are indoctrinated with different techniques of undue influence, such as covert hypnosis and phobia programming. (48:00) Read more

This presentation covers the barriers faith communities experience when discussing child maltreatment, the risks to survivors and religious institutions of not having those conversations, and the benefits to having those conversations. (1:09:00) Read more

Mr. Singer discusses strategies that he employs to help the faith and child protection communities work together to help children and families struggling with issues of abuse and neglect. (48:00) Read more

Rev. Ross, who co-founded Midwives on Missions of Service, explains how the organization’s educational efforts have empowered the midwives to choose to stop performing female genital cutting (FGC). This presentation describes the practice of FGC, the practitioners, and a healthy approach to making change. Read more

Law professor Marci Hamilton, a leading expert on such legal issues, will explain how statutes such as the Religious Freedom Restoration Act and its state counterparts have lowered legal barriers on religious believers’ illegal conduct. (1:00:00) Read more

Therapy is an essential part of the healing process for those who have suffered the trauma of childhood sexual abuse. Yet many survivors don’t know where to turn to find those services. David Pittman—a survivor himself—founded Together We Heal for that very purpose. (45:00) Read more

In this interview, Janet Heimlich, author of Breaking Their Will, discusses religious abuse and mistreatment of children. (20:00) Read more

Janet Heimlich spoke at St. Edwards University in Austin, Texas, on the topic of religious child maltreatment. (30:00) Read more

Dr. Carla Cheatham spoke at St. Edwards University in Austin, Texas, on the topic of religious child maltreatment. (13:00) Read more

Jaime Romo and Janet Heimlich speak at the 2017 ICSA Conference in Santa Fe on the subject of "Religious Child Maltreatment in Mainstream Religions." They explain that RCM does not only happen in "cults." (57:00) Read more

Richard Dawkins moderates a panel at the American Humanist Association conference in San Diego on the topic of religious child maltreatment. Here Dr. Dawkins introduces and asks questions of Janet Heimlich about her research and book, Breaking Their Will. (17:00) Read more

We discuss the ways in which religion serves as both a locus and a veil for child abuse, how victims can heal from such abuse, and how we can prevent it from happening in the first place. (46:00) Read more

Now a new study looking at 400,000 youths from 88 countries around the world suggests such bans are making a difference in reducing youth violence. Read more

The more children are spanked, the more likely they are to defy their parents and experience increased anti-social behavior and other difficulties, according to a new meta-analysis of 50 years of research. Read more

A questioning of what should be considered as religious freedom or child endangerment. Read more

A review on Linda Kramer's book of her experience being a member of Christian Science. Read more

A review of Dr. Bruce Perry and Maia Szalavitz's book on the physiological and psychological treatment of child trauma. Read more

This paper discusses reports on the cult-related experiences of these three neglected groups and makes recommendations regarding appropriate remedial actions. Read more

Explain how these symptoms of child neglect and abuse in cults develop and what might be done to repair the harm in context with neurobiology. Read more

This article discusses the experiences, observations, and conclusions of Dr. Bruce Perry’s child trauma team who had been released from David Koresh’s compound in Waco, Texas in 1993. Read more

This article reviews the limited information currently available about ritualistic abuse of children and describes the nature, dynamics, and impact of ritualistic abuse of children. Read more

An exploration of the controversy of ritual child abuse and some of the issues involved. Read more

Identifying eight religious-coloured justifications that pedophiles have used to excuse child sexual abuse in cults and alternative religions operating in the West. Read more

Identifying several common personality characteristics in individuals raised in cults and how cult environment influences the formation of individuals’ character or personality style. Read more

Understanding how repressed, recovered, or suggested memories may occur and what to do if you or a family member is concerned about a childhood memory. Read more

The document addresses definitional issues, prevalence of psychological maltreatment of children, short- and long-term effects, confidentiality and privilege, informed consent, training issues, assessment considerations, reporting issues, legal testimony, and reference materials. Read more

A description of the levels of abuse in Extremist Authoritarian Sects and the reason for them. Read more

Discussion of the experience of mothers in cults and its impact to the mother-child bond, the methods used in cults to control and limit this bond, and the responses of mothers to these controls. Read more

Presentations given by national and international experts in child protection and abuse. Read more

Presentations given by national and international experts in child protection and abuse. Read more

Advice if you and your child are struggling with faith and non-faith. Read more

Dr. Ross Greene explains how to cultivate a better parent-child relationship while also nurturing empathy, honesty, resilience, and independence. Read more

An approach to understanding and parenting children who frequently exhibit severe fits of temper and other intractable behaviors from Dr. Ross Greene, a distinguished clinician and pioneer in this field. Read more

An examination of the hypothesis that Conservative Protestants are more likely to physically abuse children than Mainline Protestants, Catholics, or the religiously unaffiliated. Read more

This study examines factors that place parents at risk of abusing their children by predicting parents' use of discipline practices and attitudes that may bias parents towards abusive behaviors. Read more

Ministry devoted to mentoring parents in a positive discipline approach called Grace Based Discipline. Read more

Help center/hotline for crisis intervention and suicide prevention for LGBTQ youths. Read more

Trains and certifies adults to help them protect their communities' children from predators. Read more

After his son told him he had been sexually molested by a member of their faith, former top administrator of the Munkacz synagogue details how his community shunned him when he came to his son's defense and publicly accused the individual. Read more

Graphic first hand descriptions by a Rabbi detailing long standing, open, and systematic sexual abuse of minors by high powered individuals in the Jewish community. Read more

This is a true part of the Muslim religion and takes place throughout the Middle East and India. Although no evidence has surfaced for this practice occurring in the U.S. Read more

Dissemination of the sexual predation and exploitation of women often of other nations and religions by Muslim men due to them being seen as "infidels". Read more

The article describes the use of Islam to justify underage children being married off to individuals that are sometimes triple the age of the child. Read more

Description of faith members gathering to create a radio station with targeted information to inform and educate parents and caregivers to properly help abused children. Read more

The author describes the use of biblical beliefs and quotes to justify extreme and violent disciplinary actions by parents onto their children. Read more

Description of Pope Francis' new appointees to the Vatican’s sex abuse commission that is composed of former victims of abuse by family and clergy. Read more

A humorous and opinionated commentary on the practice of baptism. Read more

Briefly describes why priests weren't held accountable by their leadership. Read more

Chilling and opinionated reports by a reporter for Huffington Post about abuse and atrocities committed in the name of religion. Schaffer shares from quiet stories that never garnered much attention, but deserved focus. Read more

This organization provides information and resources to educate academics, policymakers, social workers, students, and others looking to help a loved one. Read more

This organizations works to educate communities to grow with the knowledge and tools needed to address religious and cultural issues related to abuse. Read more

This organization helps families understand and accept their LCBTQI children and others in the community. Read more

This program seeks to readjust victims of coercive, exploitative, and abusive religions. Read more

This is an organization offers recovery services to those leaving a religion and individuals with no religious belief seeking mental health support. Read more

This program helps individuals leaving a faith group to readjust to life without religion by offering community, hope, and support. Read more

This organization focuses on preventing domestic violence with a primary focus on Muslim families. Read more

This video exposes problems of child sexual abuse in the ultra-Orthodox Jewish community. Read more

This documentary exposes the Jehovah's Witnesses religious organization as a profit-driven, isolationist culture, characterized by fear, totalitarian corporate leadership, failed prophecies, and improper handling of physical and sexual abuse allegations within the church. Read more

Susan Cottrell offers a Christian-based workbook to help LGBTQ individuals heal from wounds left by families and church communities. Read more

Holocaust survivor and scholar Samuel P. Oliner's findings frame David A. Cooperson's study of the effects of corporal punishment on children and the case for compassionate parenting. Read more

Lori Lite's line of books and CDs are designed to provide children, teens, and adults with the tools necessary to reduce stress, lower anxiety, and decrease anger. Read more

The late Rev. Keith Wright examines the many abuses that the Christian Church inflicts on its congregants, clergy, and children. Read more

Michele Ulrickson's memoir about spending time in a fundamentalist Baptist reform school. Read more

Memoir from popular blogger Amber Cantorna, detailing her coming-out experience as a young, gay woman in an evangelical Christian community. Read more

This book explains how indoctrination occurs in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Read more

The second edition of this secular parenting bestseller brings back reflections from celebrated freethinkers, such as Richard Dawkins and Julia Sweeney, as well as educators, psychologists, and everyday parents, to offer insights and advice on a wide range of parenting topics. Read more