There is a long history of religion enabling and perpetuating child sexual abuse. A just, secular society should protect children, and hold abusers accountable, regardless of religious affiliation. While state/church separation requires the state to avoid getting entangled with church matters in certain circumstances, secular authorities must have sufficient access to investigate abuse in churches or similar settings in order to protect the most vulnerable members of our society.

Abusers are often protected by laws that enable abusers to marry their underage victims, set unreasonable statutes of limitations for legal action, or shield relevant evidence of child abuse that is revealed during conversation with clergy or internal church discussions. The FFRF Action Fund opposes all such measures and supports setting the legal marriage age at eighteen with no exceptions.