Matthew 18 and Rape

"Jim Denison is president of the Denison Forum on Truth and Culture and theologian-in-residence for the Baptist General Convention of Texas."  As "theologian in-residence" Denison wrote an op-ed in the Associated Baptist Press, in which he stated the following:

First, God's word tells us what to do when we have been wronged: "If your brother sins against you, go and show him his fault, just between the two of you" (Matthew 18:15). It would have been best for the alleged abuse victims at Penn State and the NRA to go directly to those who wronged them. If they were refused resolution, they should then have informed others and finally made the matter public if necessary (vs. 16-17).[1]

Now Denison is trying to apply the infamous Matthew 18 passage to this situation.

18:15 “If your brother sins, go and show him his fault when the two of you are alone. If he listens to you, you have regained your brother. 18:16 But if he does not listen, take one or two others with you, so that at the testimony of two or three witnesses every matter may be established. 18:17 If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. If he refuses to listen to the church, treat him like a Gentile or a tax collector. 

Matthew 18 says,

1. Talk to your brother in Christ alone 
2. If that does not work, take one or two witnesses
3. If that does not work, tell the church
4. If that does not work, treat him like a Gentile or a tax collector.  

In Denison's interpretation, he condenses steps 2-4 into "they should then have informed others and finally made the matter public if necessary".  One, what does it mean for a rape victim "to go directly to those who wronged them"? I would submit that begging or saying "no" fits the Matthew 18:15 requirements.  By resisting, the victim showed their attacker their "fault".  Rape and molestation can be disgustingly private, private enough that you are "alone".  

Even if we do not adhere completely to Matthew 18 in the cases of sexual assault, these are not just sins.  Like in the Langworthy story, they are crimes.  As with all crimes the state has a responsibility to execute justice.

Update November 9, 2013

I apologize for not putting this update in sooner.  For the last two years, I have been meaning to update this post with Denison's clarification.

November 23, 2011, Denison clarified his position.  Matthew 18 does not apply to child abuse and he miswrote what he meant.

In the churches I pastored, adults who worked with children were subjected to periodic background screening and monitored carefully. Anytime a school, church, or other organization learns that a child entrusted to its care has been harmed, it must take immediate, proactive steps. It must remove the adult from any contact with children, initiate every means of helping the child and his or her family, and notify legal authorities about the crime committed on its watch.
The only currency for ministry is trust. In a culture that views people as commodities and measures success by possessions, we are entrusted with the good news that God loves us personally and passionately. But people will believe that God loves them only if we do.[2]

Still, his position seems to remain, if you are sexually harassed by your boss, you must still address him/her in private.  However if you are below the age of sexual consent, then you do not have to address your harasser/molester in private.