Clergy Abuse encompasses a range of illegal and unacceptable behaviors commonly perpetrated against young children and tweens by predatory clergy or other church members involving sexual abuse of varying degrees. The assault can be a single, non-consensual scroll barencounter or it may include several acts inside a continuing interaction. For example, a continuing “trusting” interaction with a child spawned by the predatory behavior of a clergy associate, blanketed by the trust and respect imputed to a priest, leading to non-consensual sexual abuse acts of molestation.
Within nearly all claimed Priest or Clergy Sexual Abuse situations, the failure by the Church member’s superior to completely, adequately and immediately report the offense to law enforcement and other authorities, or its continuing failure to research, address and resolve fully with the situation increases the effects on the assault survivor, the community and possibly others. Recent Church Sexual Assault cases covered in the press highlight these short-comings, that includes “pass-the-trash” situations where the abuser frequently a clergy in the Catholic Church, is silently re-assigned from one church to another only to continue his predatory, criminal behavior on an innocent parish community.
church abuse Massachusetts and Clergy Sexual Abuse and Retribution Not a week passes without a media announcement coverage about sexual abuse and molestation of young children by pedophile priests, or the aftermath of the abuse on the victims and their families. If you are a survivor of sexual assault from a priest or other clergy member, these articles are likely to serve as an echo chamber, reverberating the horror, embarrassment, guilt and various unwanted thoughts harming your wellness. Encouraged by the societal movement and other channels that encourage victims to reveal the abuse they suffered, victims of abuse are more frequently employing the legal system to compensate them for the lifetime damage and injury they have suffered.
If you are a victim of abuse commited by a priest, the result of the abuse on your life and foundational belief system may be incalculable. Regardless, holding the responsible person and institutions accountable for their crimes and indifference might provide an amount of justice and recompense to assault survivors. Oftentimes, survivors can assert their legal rights in confidential mediation thereby avoiding the need for litigation. But, if litigation is necessary, a case might be filed where the survivor can remain anonymous.
Abusive Behavior All abusers, to varying amounts, employ predatory methods which are generally referred to as grooming, focusing on a possible assault victim. Following is a survey of grooming behaviors exhibited by predators who are in a job of authority in relation to the subordinate child.
Grooming Grooming is a major piece of a predator’s ploy. In a church setting, the priest is revered as God’s representative. Within this setting, the predator frequently works closely with small numbers of children, identifying each child’s needs, vulnerabilities and situations. Once a victim is identified, these vulnerabilities – such as violent family setting, loneliness, low self-esteem, emotional neediness, attention-seeking – may be systematically leveraged in the following ways:
Trust A predator will first try to gain the child’s trust. This strategy is most difficult to notice as religious communities are often tight-knit and personal interaction with clergy is commonplace. Here, the assaulter can feign genuine interest in the child’s wellness and development – both emotional and religious.
Reliance As a predator creates a trusting relationship with the potential target and oftentimes their family members, the child will begin to rely more and more on the predator for whatever need it is that the predator is exploiting and fulfilling. The victim will spend increased time with the predator, feeling more and more comfortable with the relationship and counting on its stability and security. In addition to attention and affection, the possible victim might receive presents from the predator, including valuable, intangible presents like blessings and special recognition. Isolation As the grooming escalates, the predator might work to isolate the potential victim. This could result in solo counseling meetings, meals or various forms of one-on-one isolated moments. Sexualization The predator might begin to de-sensitize the child from reacting negatively to contact, caressing and other behaviors that lead to sexual interaction. This could begin with crossing the physical-touch barrier, or verbally, with suggestive messages to determine the victim’s response to the progression. This will escalate until the relationship gets to one of a physical, sexual nature. Maintenance As the sexual relationship is created, the predator will work to keep control of the child and the continuing interaction. The predator may likely seek to manipulate the victim by continuing to make the target feel special and worthy. The predator will keep exploiting the target by whatever methods needed to maintain the inappropriate physical relationship.
Impact on Clergy Abuse Survivors
The effect of childhood abuse on the survivor can be overwhelming and life-changing. Several priest assault survivors suffer from long-term effects of the assault including depression, disturbed sleeping, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, low self-esteem, suicidal thoughts, substance abuse and eating patterns, and problems establishing and maintaining vibrant relationships. Individualized treatment and support groups can assist survivors overcome these effects.
Legally, a survivor of Priest Sexual Assault may recover financial compensation from the abuser and, more frequently, from the religious organization for its failure to shield the victim 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 ready to talk with you.
|