Over the past few years with #churchtoo disclosures and allegations, as well as the tidal wave of prominent pastors’ “deeds of darkness” being exposed, it is clear that the evangelical church has an abuse problem. Perhaps even more tragically, when we respond poorly to abuse, we exacerbate the pain and trauma of the victims and enable the perpetrators, endangering others and harming the witness of the church. It is imperative that we learn how to respond in a way that ministers to victims, holds perpetrators accountable, and creates a safe, healthy environment for our faith communities.
I wanted to make this post as a resource for pastors, lay leaders, and abuse survivors to facilitate abuse education. For each of us, it is not a matter of if we will face abuse in our own community, but when. So I asked The Beautiful Kingdom Warrior Facebook community to help me compile a list of abuse advocates in this comment thread. Below, I have fleshed out our list with links to the advocates’ websites, books, and social media so that you can easily follow them and begin to learn more about the prevalence and dynamics of abuse. Be sure to pass this post along.
To begin, here is a link to a short article I wrote on the dynamics of abuse for my denomination’s digital magazine, and here are some useful images for familiarization with the dynamics of abuse:
Abuse Advocates and Experts (in alphabetical order):
*book links are to my Amazon Affiliate store: thebeautif017-20
Dr. Dan Allender – The Allender Center
Bio: Prominent Christian therapist, author, professor, and speaker focusing on sexual abuse and trauma recovery
Website: www.theallendercenter.org
Book: The Wounded Heart: Hope for Adult Victims of Childhood Sexual Abuse
Social media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Vimeo
Shahida Arabi – Self-Care Haven
Bio: Columbia U grad who studied bullying; best-selling author specializing in narcissism and self-care
Website: shahidaarabi.com, Self-Care Haven blog
Books: Becoming the Narcissist’s Nightmare; POWER: Surviving and Thriving after Narcissistic Abuse
Social Media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
Lundy Bancroft
Bio: 25 years experience in the fields of abuse, trauma and recovery; counseling, workshops and public speaking
Website: lundybancroft.com
Books: Why Does He Do That? Inside the Minds of Angry and Controlling Men; Should I Stay or Should I Go?
Social media: Facebook
Laura Barringer
Bio: Educator, Advocate and Co-Author of A Church Called Tov
Website: linktr.ee/laurabarringer
Book: A Church Called Tov: Forming a Goodness Culture That Resists Abuses of Power and Promotes Healing
Social media: Instagram, Twitter
Andrew J. Bauman
Bio: Christian Author, Therapist, & Abuse Advocate. Helping men become sexually healthy.
Website: andrewjbauman.com
Books: The Sexually Healthy Man, The Psychology of Porn, Stumbling Toward Wholeness
Social media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, Podcast
Gretchen Baskerville – Life Saving Divorce
Bio: Christian Divorce Recovery Minister, Author and Abuse Advocate
Website: lifesavingdivorce.com
Book: The Life Saving Divorce: Hope for People Leaving Destructive Relationships
Social media: Facebook, Twitter, Vimeo
Nichole Braddock Bromley – One Voice
Bio: Author, International Speaker, Sexual Abuse Survivor, and Activist
Website: iamonevoice.com
Social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Podcast
Jeff Crippen – Unholy Charade
Bio: Pastor, Author and Abuse Advocate
Website: unholycharade.com
Books: A Cry for Justice; Unholy Charade
Social media: Twitter, Sermon Audio: 21 sermons on abuse
Chuck DeGroat
Bio: Professor of Pastoral Care and Christian Spirituality at Western Seminary; Therapist; Author
Website: www.chuckdegroat.net
Book: When Narcissism Comes to Church: Healing Your Community from Emotional and Spiritual Abuse
Social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
Rachael Denhollander
Bio: Lawyer, first accuser of Larry Nassar; Abuse Advocate and Consultant
Website: rachaeldenhollander.com
Book: What is a Girl Worth?; How Much is a Little Girl Worth?
Social media: Facebook, Twitter
F. Remy Diederich
Bio: Pastor, Author – helps people overcome life’s hurts with God’s help
Website: readingremy.com
Books: Broken Trust, Healing the Hurts of Your Past
Social media: Facebook
Patrick Doyle
Bio: Abuse survivor, Coach for those affected by emotional abuse, Speaker
Website: patrickdoyle.life
Social media: Facebook, Instagram, YouTube
Ashley Easter – Courage 365
Bio: Founder of Courage 365, a catalyst to cultivate and empower a Justice Generation that resists abuse everywhere
Website: courage365.org
Social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube
Bob & Helga Edwards
Bio: Christian Therapists and Public Speakers
Website: awakedeborah.com
Book: Addressing Domestic Violence in the Church
Social media: Facebook
Maureen Farrell Garcia
Bio: Christian Writer, Speaker, Instructor, and Abuse Victim-Survivor Advocate
Website: maureenfgarcia.com
Social media: Twitter
Give Her Wings
Mission: We serve, without judgment and with compassion, single mothers who have left abusive relationships. Our goal is to show them the community and body of the Church, when they otherwise are not finding it.
Website: giveherwings.com
Social media: Facebook, Twitter
GRACE – Godly Response to Abuse in the Christian Environment
Mission: Empowering Christian communities to recognize, prevent, and respond to abuse. Founded in 2004.
“With a combined experience of over 100 years of addressing abuse-related issues, GRACE has accumulated and organized a wealth of resources from mental health experts, former prosecutors, and theologians to give you and your organization a well-rounded, robust, and deep understanding of abuse and how to prevent it. We all can make a difference by learning about abuse, become equipped on how to recognize it, and committing to responding appropriately. Browse the categories below to learn more.”
Website: netgrace.org
Social media: Facebook, YouTube; founder Boz Tchividjian on Twitter
Natalie Hoffman – Flying Free Sisterhood
Bio: Author, Podcaster and Life Coach for women recovering from abusive marriages and churches
Website: flyingfreenow.com
Book: Is it me? Making sense of your confusing marriage
Social media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Podcast
Kyle J. Howard
Bio: Christian Theologian, preacher, & trauma informed soul care provider; Survivor of racial and spiritual abuse
Website: kylejhoward.com
Social media: Facebook, Twitter
Mariam Ibraheem – Tahrir Alnisa Foundation
Bio: Survivor of Sudanese Prison and Domestic Violence; Director of Global Mobilization and Co-Founder of TAF
Website: tahriralnisa.org
Mission: “We empower women escaping abuse by assisting with housing, medical care, trauma recovery, and legal fees.”
Social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube
Virginia Knowles
Bio: Practical Theologian researching authoritarian and/or aberrant religious movements, spiritual abuse and family dysfunction
Website: virginiaknowles.com
Forthcoming book: Burned: Rising from the ashes of spiritual crisis
Dr. Diane Langberg
Bio: Christian Psychologist with 50 years experience counseling trauma survivors; Speaker, Consultant, Author
Website: dianelangberg.com
Books: Suffering and the Heart of God, Redeeming Power: Understanding Authority and Abuse in the Church
Social media: Twitter
This video is an excellent discussion about Ravi Zacharias’ decades long deceit and abuse and the system that enabled him:
Bekah Legg – Restored
Bio: Director of Restored, “Working alongside churches to end violence against women”
Website: restored-uk.org, bekahlegg.com
Social media: Restored’s Facebook, Twitter, YouTube; Bekah’s Twitter
Sarah McDugal
Bio: Empowering women to recover from abuse in the faith community. Coaching + Courses + Groups
Website: wildernesstowild.com
Books: Safe Churches: Responding to Abuse in the Faith Community; Myths We Believe, Predators We Trust
Social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube
Scot McKnight
Bio: Professor at Northern Seminary, Theology Blogger, Co-Author of A Church Called Tov
Website: Jesus Creed
Book: A Church Called Tov: Forming a Goodness Culture that Resists Abuse and Promotes Healing
Social media: Facebook, Twitter
Chris Moles – PeaceWorks University
Bio: Pastor, Speaker, Biblical Counselor addressing domestic violence
Website: chrismoles.com
Book: The Heart of Domestic Abuse: Gospel Solutions for Men Who Use Control and Violence in the Home
Social media: Facebook, Twitter, The Safest Place: Domestic Abuse and the Church FB group
Wade Mullen
Bio: M.Div Program Director at Capital Seminary & Graduate School, Author, Abuse Advocate
Website: wadetmullen.com
Book: Something’s Not Right: Decoding the Hidden Tactics of Abuse and Freeing Yourself from Its Power
Social media: Facebook, Twitter
Julie Owens
Bio: Expert Consultant, Trainer and Keynote Speaker on violence against women and trauma
Website: domesticviolenceexpert.org
Social media: Facebook, Twitter
Naghmeh Abedini Panahi – Tahrir Alnisa Foundation
Bio: Iranian Church Planter and Domestic Violence Survivor; Executive Director and Co-Founder of TAF
Website: tahriralnisa.org
Mission: “We empower women escaping abuse by assisting with housing, medical care, trauma recovery, and legal fees.”
Social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube
Brian Peck – Room to Thrive
Bio: Licensed Therapist, Trauma Coach, helping people resolve religious trauma and thrive after deconstruction
Website: roomtothrive.com
Social media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube
Sarah K. Ramsey – Toxic Person Proof
Bio: Toxic Relationship Specialist, Author, Podcaster, Consultant
Website: sarahkramsey.com
Book: Becoming Toxic Person Proof
Social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, Podcast
Dr. Anna Salter
Bio: Training, Consulting and Publications on Sex Abuse, Offenders, and Victimization
Website: annasalter.com
Book: Predators, Pedophiles, Rapists and Other Sex Offenders
Documentary: Predators
Dr. Christy Gunter Sim
Bio: Expert Training, Advising and Consulting on Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault, and Trauma Healing
Website: drchristysim.com
Book: Survivor Care: What Religious Professionals Need to Know about Healing Trauma
Social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram
Eric Skwarczynski – Preacher Boys
Bio: A podcast and upcoming documentary shedding light on decades of abuse within the Independent Fundamental Baptist movement
Website: preacherboysdoc.com
Social media: Facebook, Twitter (Preacher Boys), Twitter (Eric), Instagram, YouTube, Podcast
Julie Anne Smith – Spiritual Sounding Board
Bio: Blogger, Abuse Advocate and Survivor; “Out of our wounds flow compassion, understanding, & grace. May we all be ‘wounded healers’ who do no harm.“
Website: spiritualsoundingboard.com
Social media: Facebook, Twitter
Shanell T. Smith
Bio: Minister, Professor, Consultant, Author, Survivor
Website: shanelltsmithconsulting.com
Book: Touched: For Survivors of Sexual Assault Like Me Who Have Been Hurt by Church Fol…
Social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube
Elaine Storkey
Bio: Writer, Broadcaster, Speaker, Author, Christian Feminist
Website: elainestorkey.com
Book: Scars Across Humanity: Understanding and Overcoming Violence Against Women
Social media: Twitter
Darby Strickland
Bio: Biblical Counselor, Speaker and Author
Website: darbystrickland.com
Book: Is it Abuse? A Biblical Guide to identifying domestic abuse and helping victims
Social media: Facebook, Instagram, Twitter
The Hope of Survivors
Mission: A non-profit dedicated to assisting victims of clergy sexual abuse and misconduct
Website: thehopeofsurvivors.org
Social media: Facebook, Twitter, YouTube
Shannon Thomas
Bio: Trauma Therapist, Author
Website: shannonthomas.com
Book: Healing from Hidden Abuse, Exposing Financial Abuse
Social media: Facebook, Instagram
Lori Anne Thompson
Bio: Registered Kinesiologist and expertise in the protection of people from the ravages of poverty, adverse childhood experience, and interpersonal violence. Survivor of Ravi Zacharias abuse.
Website: loriannethompson.com
Social media: Twitter
This interview is a must see. Lori Anne articulates the dynamics of abuse so profoundly and carefully with great expertise.
Dr. Ruth Tucker
Bio: Former Professor at Calvin Theological Seminary, Author
Website: ruthtucker.com
Book: Black and White Bible, Black and Blue Wife
Tom Vermillion
Bio: Pastor, Author
Website: tomvermillion.com
Book: Born To Be Free: Discovering Christ’s Power to Set You Free from a Painful Past
Social media: Twitter
Leslie Vernick
Bio: Speaker, Author, and Licensed Clinical Social Worker and Relationship Coach
Website: leslievernick.com
Books: The Emotionally Destructive Marriage
Social media: Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube
Who would you add? Let me know in the comments! Please share this important information!
*I am an Amazon Affiliate and may receive a percentage from books sales from the links above.
Ruth Perry
Becky Buck
The Beautiful Kingdom Warriors 
Chris Moles with Peaceworks University. Great resource!!
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Thank you! I will add him.
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Chris Moles and Patrick Doyle. 🙂 This is a fantastic list, btw!
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Julie Owens
https://www.domesticviolenceexpert.org/
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Thank you! Adding!!
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https://www.thehopeofsurvivors.org/
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Great! Adding now 🙂
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Thank you, what a wonderful Blog for LOT’s of Resources! Something been Whistleblowing for over 40 years. Will try and find the site where post an evil’s Pastor and his Evil Denominations response to spousal abuse. Where David Wilkerson researched and investigated and did “a message to the Assemblies of god sadly unheeded” a sermon and PDF (small g, is because they gave you their god) https://truedsicernment.com/2008/07/12/david-wilkersons-warning-for-the-assembly-of-god-sadly-unheeded/
1. Woman goes to her Pastor for help and he tells her “she is going to hell, and something worse is going to happen to her and her children if she does NOT take back the husband who is molesting the children”
2. “She must be doing something wrong for him to abuse her”. This is a drop in the Bucket. By the way Calvary Chapel Pastors give the same advice took it World Wide News at the time, been taking public they want women battered and children abused. Ten Lies the Church Tells Women/Lies Men Believe based on former Cult that exited, it was horrific.
Also, had created Report Church Abuse List because of Spousal and Child Abuse (pedophile and molestation and complicit) as their is an OVER 60 year horrific homosexual, child molestation, child pedophile cover-up in Hillsong by assassins of their god as https://donaldelley.wordpress is chronicling along with Tanya Levin and many. Thank you to J. Lee Grady and the many that stood for Truth and Justice! There was NEVER any help, just guilt, condemnation, criticism, belittling, berating and shame and abuse; as women when at the end of their rope and hope going to their Church Leadership given evil advice and leaving Churches and killing themselves, but NO HELP or hand up in fact one of the Pastors mentioned here, fired his #2 guy (friend of over 20 years) for standing up for an abused woman and saying we are going to HELP her and evil Chuck Smith Sr., would not took it world wide news at thee time as knew people who were leaving Churches and killing themselves. Verify one abuse case, Interview Alex Grenier.
In my over 60 years of sitting in the Church, they never helped anyone but built their Real Estate Portfolio and Empire and their Bank Accounts. No buildings to help Fatherless, Widow, Homeless, the Poor, it was individual people who served, NO James 1:27 and Matthew 25:31-end. Friends and I just called OVER 4,000 big named Ministries that call themselves Churches and Christian NO HELP to date. Know church leaders let minimum of 15 people die, NO HELP DATE! Wouldn’t give you 2 cents for any false church institute sat in but one that finally lived the Gospel but then that Pastor prayed minimum of 12 hours a day..
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P.S. J. Lee Grady heard it for years @ the time he was Editor @ Charisma before he left as he is on Report Church Abuse List-RCAL. J. Lee still gets copied in. Example: a whole church of boys molested, they ran the parents out and didn’t pay for counseling for the children (Roger Wheeler’s Foursquare Church) and the parents were great as long as bringing in the 30 pieces of Silver to their no different than mormon coffers who behave the same way (Foursquare Church), it was easier for Don Long and Scott Bauer to pray for those to die and or curse with Cancer if you read their death certificates one got up to preached and dropped dead two days later and the other beheaded in a car accident and they were warned before the whole world NOT to pray for people to die or curse with Cancer. Same with Greg Laurie the world knows this: he stood Mary Vega up and called her a Donkey’s Ass for wanting to leave the husband molesting the children”, NOTICE THE NO HELP and they were warned NOT to pray for people to die he was also confronted on teaching the rapture cult lie and what doing with money well Christopher was beheaded in that car accident (indicative of praying for people to die and the World knew that, REPORT CHURCH ABUSE LIST KNEW and World Wide Media (38 pages of emails). Dave Wilkerson headed the list then Dr. James Dobson, H.B. London Jr., etc. Handbook of denominations.
healthimpactnews.com January 8th, 2021 article reveals something very disturbing about the corrupt church as know A LOT OF THEM are funded by satanic and luciferian regimes and worse their is a List in a Book, you can read it Battle Hymn by John Scura/Dane Phillips (the Authors are not wrong)
#1 which the World/Church knew was the first thing go in and ask to see their 501(c)3 report the one turned into the IRS not the lying fudged one they give the public to see who they help and where the money goes. #2 Ask how they handle Wife and Child Abuse, what’s protocol. Then ask them if funded by satanic and luciferian regimes and tell them to LIE before a Holy Almighty God, are they even saved and believe on the Lord Jesus Christ and are they a Christian? Ask if Mason and or Masonic and if they ever prayed for anyone to Die and or Curse with Cancer that will get you thrown out and ushered out as explain the Houston Chronicle and those over 700 victims. IF, YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT NAME OF CHURCH OR PASTOR: Google:
Abused by name of Pastor and or Church
Scandal name of Pastor and or Church
Controversial Articles name of Pastor and or Church
People’s Negative Feedback name of Pastor and or Church
Name of Pastor/Church is Luciferian and or Satanic
Name of Pastor/Church Mason and or Masonic. INTERESTING the feedback some horrific reads on Calvary Chapel like Daily Beast Tangled Web and Slide in Apostasy etc.
THE OCCULT HIDES SIN, THE OCCULT DOESN’T LIVE IN TRUTH, THE OCCULT LIVE IN DARKNESS, THE OCCULT SWEEPS SIN UNDER THE CARPET EVERY CHURCH DEMONATION SAT IN but the one where the pastor prayed minimum of 12 Hours a Day. We DON’T have Holiness Preachers Proverbs 9:10, therefore NO Wisdom.
Explain: The Marketing of Evil and How Evil Works etc., by David Kupelian
Explain Jeremiah Candler’s death and Bethany Deaton as write we sacrificed ourselves on the Molech/Baal Altar of whatever denomination sat in. Sat in false church my entire life, learning absolutely nothing and look at us and our Nation. “as the church goes, so goes the world” Leonard Ravenhill, if the World is murderous and corrupt it’s because the false church is. PEOPLE ARE THE CHURCH, NOT THE BUILDING.
cc: J. Lee Grady (as well as previous memo copied to all)
Jeff Crippen and RCAL
Berean Research/Wartburg Watch, Bill/Jackie Alnor, cc: EFC,
My favorite writer in Los Angeles Times and Orange Country Register
# of Pastors/Blogs/Whistleblower Magazine
John W. Whitehead, Attorney
Trinity Foundation, Dallas TX
Explain: Sometimes If, God Has a Kid’s Face by Bruce Ritter,
Franklin Cover-up by John DeCamp
Thanks for the Memories-Brice Taylor (great book in references)
David Shurter-Rabbit Hole explain all of the above in iight of the all these church entities that are Businesses equals dead Corporations-Corpse.
Did you know in 1989-1990 your public education grammar school textbooks told our children the running theme was to kill themselves? Told one Pastor recently unless FASTING, PRAYING, REPENTING, PRAYING/SPEAKING THE WORD, TRUE WORSHIP (not satanic garbage) you’re NOT a church and James 1:27 and Matthew 25:31-end!
someone know collects genre on church abuse.
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P.P.S. Dan H., Randy H., Fred P., Tony P., Karen, Randy S., Joseph, Viola, Kevin, Jimmy there’s more these are young people that killed themselves over former sociopath/psychopath (Google the difference) of a Pastor because their parents replaced God with the Charismatic sicko pastor. Pretty horrific all the death, miscarriages, suicides, adultery and this evil pastor groomed so many young men to bring $$$ into the no different than mormon coffers. ABSOLUTELY NO FRUIT, WE WEREN’T JUDGING FRUIT AND OR RESEARCHING WHO FOUNDED AND FUNDED.
God, Jesus, Holy Spirit didn’t get a dime nor did the people and learned absolutely NOTHING!
“if you’re husband beats you to death, and you die you win either way”., that evil Deacon should be in Prison!
By the way the report church list heard it for YEARS!
Losing My Religion by William Lobdell
Don’t Call Me Brother etc., Austin Miles
Pagan Christianity (green cover) by Frank Viola as explain ALL those lies!
The Fleecing of Christianity by Jackie Alnor
EXPLAIN: Thieves by Trey Smith
Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse-David Johnson & Jeff Johnson it’s like they sat in my former church and wrote the Book; my Body of work is in The Marketing of Evil etc., Thank goodness for Whistleblower Magazine.
cc: to the list
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Called to Peace Ministry is another excellent resource to add to this great list!! https://www.calledtopeace.org/
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For Spiritual Abuse please add Tears of Eden and the Uncertain Podcast.
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Author, newbie blogger, All Made Well Recovery Coach & church planter
Blog at https://www.iamezerfnx.com/unleashing-ezerfnx/
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Please let me know if you’re looking for a writer for your blog. You have some really good posts and I think I would be a good asset. If you ever want to take some of the load off, I’d love to write some material for your blog in exchange for a link back to mine. Please blast me an e-mail if interested. Cheers!
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Called to Peace Ministries provides sound, valuable training and support for churches and individuals who want to help, not harm, as well as victim supports. https://www.calledtopeace.org/
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Also, Helena Knowlton of Confusion To Clarity, without a doubt:
https://www.confusiontoclaritynow.com/
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Pingback: 2021 Review and Reflections | The Beautiful Kingdom Warriors
As someone who was told by a male Pastor to stay with a physically and emotionally abusive husband because “blessed are you when you are persecuted” I thank you. My upbringing in complementarianism taught me that I needed male approval. I stayed for one more beating that my 2 year old witnessed.
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Abuse Recovery Ministry & Services
National Office:
PO Box 663 Hillsboro, OR 97123
503-846-9284 or 866-262-9284
email: info@abuserecovery.org
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Patrick Weaver Ministries!!!!
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Dr. Henry Cloud – he has a private group, Boundaires.me, that offers incredibly helpful counseling services for an affordable price. It allows a person to find confidential counsel any time of day or night.
Dr. John Townsend
Townsend and Cloud coauthored Boundaries.
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