Sexual harassment reported in Danish church

A survey initiated by Denmark’s Ministry of Ecclesiastical Affairs reveals that 116 employees have experienced sexual harassment within the national church. Out of 7570 respondents (a 53% response rate), 297 reported inappropriate sexual or flirtatious overtones, and 25 reported sexual coercion in the past year, although what this entails is not specified. Parish priest Christian Roar Pedersen notes the numbers could be higher due to the limited response rate and those not covered by the survey, such as churchgoers. 28.4% of harassment victims identified members of parish councils as perpetrators, while 57.8% felt the workplace poorly handled such incidents. The Danish Church is advised to contact those who reported sexual coercion and consented to be approached, as some cases may involve legal violations.