BFLA Calls for Stronger Church Oversight and Sexual Abuse Reporting Mechanisms

The Belize Family Life Association (BFLA) is calling for stronger oversight of religious institutions and formal reporting mechanisms for sexual abuse allegations, following several cases involving pastors accused or convicted of sexual offences.

In an interview with The Reporter, BFLA Executive Director Joan Burke recommended that the government ministry responsible for religious affairs assume a more active role in establishing accessible and confidential procedures for reporting suspected sexual abuse within religious institutions.

Burke expressed particular concern about the lengthy periods that sometimes separate alleged offences from formal complaints, arguing that more supportive reporting arrangements could encourage victims and individuals aware of suspected abuse to come forward sooner.

She maintained that reporting mechanisms should not depend exclusively on the internal leadership of churches, particularly where allegations involve individuals occupying positions of religious authority.

Her recommendations would provide an additional institutional avenue through which concerns could be raised and referred to the appropriate authorities.

Burke also called for improved regulation of religious institutions, particularly smaller congregations.

She raised concerns about some congregations inviting visiting pastors from outside Belize to conduct religious activities, arguing that greater scrutiny is necessary when individuals assume positions of spiritual authority within local communities.

Her position emphasises the need for clearer oversight arrangements and institutional safeguards, particularly among congregations operating with limited formal administrative structures.

Burke's intervention follows several cases involving religious leaders accused or convicted of sexual offences.

On Tuesday, 33-year-old Kevin Luis Tzib, a pastor and businessman from Santa Elena Town, was reportedly arrested and charged with one count of unnatural crime and three counts of sexual assault.

Earlier this year, Pastor Victor Wagner Hernandez, 67, was convicted of two counts of rape and one count of sexual assault involving offences committed in 2015, 2016 and 2021. The complainant reported the abuse in 2024, and Hernandez received a ten-year prison sentence.

Former church leader Mervin Budram was also charged with 13 counts of aggravated assault of an indecent nature following allegations involving several young women, with alleged offences dating back to between 2004 and 2014.

These cases involve separate legal proceedings, and criminal charges do not constitute convictions.

Nevertheless, the reporting delays identified in some cases underscore the concerns Burke raised about barriers confronting individuals seeking to report sexual abuse.

Her central recommendation is for stronger government oversight and independent reporting structures that improve accountability while providing victims and other complainants with safer, more accessible channels for reporting suspected offences.