In this second installment of the three-part series on the initial responses to the lawsuit, Shielagh shifts the focus from leadership to the broader community’s reaction. From social media to the quiet, calculated silences, we examine how impression management played a key role these first few weeks.

Despite living 800 miles away, Shielagh still felt the weight of the narratives being spun—some dismissing the lawsuit as irrelevant, others distorting her motives. In this episode, she shares how she sought to make sense of the chaos, from creating a Venn diagram to discovering the groundbreaking research of Wade Mullen, whose work on institutional crisis management helped her understand the church’s tactics.

She confronts the "new church" argument head-on, asking: Can an institution erase its past simply by rebranding? And challenges the false peace that so many sought to maintain at the cost of truth and justice.

Through personal reflections, documented conversations, and hard-earned insights, Shielagh explores why telling the truth remains the ultimate disruption—and why it’s so often met with resistance.

Venn Diagram: https://bit.ly/VennD-Responses Books: Something's Not Right by Wade Mullen Trauma and Recovery by Judith Herman The Lord is my Courage by K.J. Ramsey Cheat Sheet: https://bit.ly/pj-cheatsheet

Time Period Covered: Summer 2020

Hyde Park Baptist Church (Romans Road Bible Church) had a beautiful opportunity to right the past and be an example for the local community and neighboring churches - but instead of rising to the challenge, they crumbled.

In this episode, Shielagh lays out the steps the new pastor took to warp perceptions and sidestep his duty to care. Was it incompetence? A calculated strategy? Or something worse?

When institutions protect themselves, who pays the price? And what happens when the truth refuses to stay buried? Books: A Church Called TOV by Scott McKnight and Laura Barringer https://www.churchcalledtov.org/ Tates Creek Presbyterian Church public statement: https://bit.ly/TatesCreek Youtube video of Murray's jokes: https://bit.ly/WMSJokes

Time Period Covered: Summer 2020

In this pivotal episode of Perverted Justice, Shielagh Clark dives deeper into the complexities of civil litigation, sharing her personal journey through the legal system and its intersection with her fight for justice against Hyde Park Baptist Church.

Shielagh begins with a detailed yet accessible breakdown of legal procedures, including the Child Victims Act (CVA) and the distinctions between civil and criminal law. From pleadings to discovery and beyond, listeners are guided through the mechanics of her case, offering clarity on the challenges survivors face when seeking justice.

The episode then shifts to personal reflections on the filing of her complaint, the limitations imposed by the CVA, and the emotional toll of distilling lived trauma into legal documents. Shielagh candidly discusses the church's inadequate response and contrasts it with her hopes for truth, reconciliation, and institutional accountability.

Lastly, Shielagh examines the broader implications of civil litigation, highlighting its potential to drive systemic change. With references to historical cases like the McDonald’s hot coffee lawsuit and the Boston Globe’s exposé of abuse in the Catholic Church, she underscores the critical role of survivors, journalists, and advocates in holding institutions accountable.

• Books:
  • Trauma and Recovery by Judith Herman
  • Suffering and the Heart of God by Diane Langberg
  • We Too: How the Church Can Respond Redemptively to the Sexual Abuse Crisis by Mary DeMuth
  • The Wounded Heart by Dan Allender
  • UnTwisting Scripture by Rebecca Davis
• Films: Spotlight (2015) – A film detailing the Boston Globe's investigation into the Catholic Church abuse scandal.
• Articles: https://bit.ly/MidHudsonCVA
• Complaint: https://bit.ly/cvacomplaint
• Cheat sheet: https://bit.ly/pj-cheatsheet

• Explore the McDonald’s hot coffee lawsuit for insights into the real story behind this misunderstood case. https://bit.ly/McDCoffeeSuit
• Reflect on the role of civil litigation in driving accountability within institutions.

If you’ve found this episode thought-provoking, please rate, review, and share Perverted Justice with your community. Together, we can advocate for radical honesty and systemic change.

Time Period Covered: Spring of 2020