The Church's Responsibility in Sexual Misconduct Issues

Is this pitcher plant to the left being greedy, gobbling up insects when it can make its own food through photosynthesis?

I am almost out of insurance paid therapy visits to my individual counselor for 2007. I get 25 a year and normally go in every two weeks. With contacting my perpetrator, I increased this number and used up about 5 extra visits. This puts me almost out.

I have a decision to make. Do I ask the church (state level) to pick up my bill for the next 4 months? There are several paragraphs in their procdure manual for sexual misconduct that talks of taking care of the emotional needs of the victim without specifically stating the option of counseling. The minister I reported Bob to asked me several times about counseling. I felt like the state church might have paid for it if I had needed it. However I was deeply involved in therapy at the university I was attending and it was free.

I have mixed feelings about asking.

• I feel like I need to ask in order to stand up for the child within me that still needs the therapy.


• I feel it is fair and a reasonable request. I am talking about $1200. That is a lot less than a law suit would cost them. Of course the statute of limitations is over.


• I feel afraid of hearing their "no." If they say "no" then can I still consider joining the church I am attending?


• I hesitate to ask, because I worry that my request will color their ability to hear my other requests about policy changes.

I am not sure what to do.

Di