Church Abuse comprises a wide-range of immoral and heinous behaviors frequently commited on kids and teens by pedophilic clergy or other church employees involving sexual assault of varying amounts. The abuse might be a single, non-consensual scroll barevent or it might include many assaults inside a continuing interaction. For example, an ongoing “trusting” relationship with a young child spawned by the predatory intent of a church member, blanketed by the trust and reverence provided to a priest, leading to non-consensual sexual assault acts of molestation.
In most alleged Priest or Clergy Sexual Abuse situations, the failure by the Clergy member’s superior to completely, adequately and promptly disclose the offense to law enforcement and other authorities, or the further failure to investigate, address and resolve fully with the occurrence increases the harm on the abuse survivor, the community and possibly others. Current Priest Sexual Assault cases reported in the press highlight these failures, including “pass-the-trash” scenarios when the abuser commonly a priest in the Catholic Church, is suddenly moved from one location to another only to continue his predatory, criminal behavior on an unsuspecting parish community.
Priest and Clergy Sexual Assault and Retribution Not a day goes by without a news announcement coverage about sexual abuse and molestation of children by predator priests, or the legacy of the abuse on the victims and their families. If you are a victim of sexual assault from a priest or other church member, these articles are likely to serve as an echo chamber, replaying the horror, shame, guilt and various unwanted emotions harming your well-being. Encouraged by the social movement and other pathways that encourage them to disclose the assault they experienced, survivors of abuse are increasingly employing the legal system to compensate them for the lifetime harm and injury they have suffered.
If you are a victim of abuse commited by a member of the clergy, the impact of the abuse on your life and foundational belief system might be incalculable. Nonetheless, holding the responsible church and institutions accountable for their crimes and indifference may offer a measure of justice and recompense to abuse survivors. Frequently, victims can assert their legal rights through confidential mediation thereby avoiding the need for litigation. But, if litigation is required, a motion can be filed where the victim can remain anonymous.
Abusive Behavior All predators, to varying amounts, use predatory methods which are commonly known as grooming, targeting a potential abuse victim. Below is a survey of grooming behaviors used by predators who are in a position of authority in relation to the subordinate child.
Grooming Grooming is a significant piece of a predator’s strategy. In a church setting, the clergy member is held as God’s representative. In this environment, the predator frequently works closely with small amounts of children, identifying each child’s needs, weaknesses and situations. Once church abuse Texas is identified, these vulnerabilities – like tumultuous family setting, isolation, low self-esteem, emotional neediness, attention-seeking – may be systematically leveraged in the following ways:
Trust A predator will initially try to get the child’s trust. This step is most difficult to notice as church communities are frequently tight-knit and personal interaction with clergy is commonplace. Here, the assaulter can pretend sincere interest in the child’s wellness and development – both emotional and religious.
Reliance As a predator establishes a trusting relationship with the potential target and oftentimes their family, the child will start to rely more and more on the predator for any need it is that the priest is exploiting and fulfilling. The child may devote increased time with the predator, feeling more and more comfortable with the relationship and relying on its stability and security. In addition to attention and affection, the potential victim may receive gifts from the priest, including valuable, intangible presents such as blessings and special recognition. Isolation While grooming progresses, the predator might work to isolate the potential victim. This may mean solo counseling sessions, meals or other methods of one-on-one isolated encounters. Sexualization The predator might begin to de-sensitize the child from reacting negatively to touching, caressing and other actions that lead to sexual interaction. This could start with breaking the physical-touch barrier, or verbally, with suggestive messages to determine the victim’s reaction to the progression. This will continue until the relationship gets to one of a physical, sexual nature. Maintenance Once the sexual relationship is created, the predator will work to maintain control over the child and the continued interaction. The predator may likely want to manipulate the child by continuing to make the target feel special and worthy. The predator will keep exploiting the victim by whatever methods necessary to maintain the immoral physical relationship.
Impact on Clergy Abuse Survivors
The effect of childhood assault on the survivor can be overwhelming and life-altering. Many priest abuse survivors suffer from lifelong effects of the abuse including depression, disturbed sleeping, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, low self-esteem, suicidal thoughts, substance abuse and eating patterns, and difficulty creating and keeping vibrant relationships. Individualized therapy and support groups can assist victims overcome these effects.
Legally, a survivor of Priest Sexual Abuse may recover financial compensation from the abuser and, more frequently, from the religious organization for its failure to shield the child from the abuse, as well as failures or deficiencies in its process of reviewing and resolving to reports of abuse. If you are a victim of Priest or Clergy Sexual Abuse and would like to confidentially discuss your experience and your legal options, we are prepared to talk with you.
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