Church Abuse encompasses a range of immoral and unacceptable actions commonly perpetrated on young children and adolescents by pedophilic clergy or other church members involving sexual assault of varying amounts. The abuse may be a one-time, non-consensual scroll barencounter or it might include several acts inside a continuing interaction. For example, an ongoing “trusting” interaction with a young child spawned by the predatory intent of a clergy member, cloaked with the trust and reverence provided to a priest, leading to non-consensual sexual attack acts of molestation.
In nearly all claimed Priest or Clergy Sexual Abuse situations, the short-coming by the Church member’s employer to entirely, adequately and promptly report the offense to law enforcement and other authorities, or the further failure to research, address and deal fully with the situation amplifies the effects on the assault survivor, the community and potentially others. Recent Priest Sexual Abuse cases covered in the press show these short-comings, including “pass-the-trash” situations when the abuser oftentimes a clergy in the Catholic Church, is quietly moved from one church to another merely to continue his predatory, criminal behavior on an unsuspecting parish community.
Priest and Clergy Sexual Abuse & Retribution Not a week passes without a media announcement coverage regarding sexual assault and molestation of young children by predator priests, or the effects of the assault on the victims and their families. If you are a survivor of sexual abuse from a priest or other clergy member, these articles are most likely to act as an echo chamber, replaying the horror, embarrassment, guilt and various unwelcome feelings harming your well-being. Encouraged by the societal movement and other channels that encourage victims to disclose the abuse they experienced, survivors of abuse are more frequently turning to the legal system to compensate them for the life-long harm and injury they have suffered.
If you are a survivor of abuse commited by a member of the church, the result of the abuse on your life and core belief system may be immeasurable. Nonetheless, holding the responsible person and institutions accountable for their crimes and indifference might offer an amount of justice and recompense to assault victims. Frequently, clergy lawsuit Texas can assert their legal rights in confidential mediation therein avoiding the need for litigation. However, if litigation is necessary, a motion can be filed where the survivor can remain anonymous.
Abusive Behavior All predators, to varying amounts, employ predatory methods that are generally referred to as grooming, aiming at a potential assault victim. Following is a list of grooming actions exhibited by predators who are in a job of authority in relation to the subordinate young child.
Grooming Grooming is a significant part of a predator’s strategy. In a religious setting, the clergy member is held as God’s representative. Within this environment, the predator often works closely with small numbers of children, identifying each child’s needs, vulnerabilities and circumstances. Once a victim is identified, these vulnerabilities – like tumultuous family setting, loneliness, low self-esteem, emotional neediness, attention-seeking – may be systematically exploited in the following ways:
Trust An assaulter will first work to gain the child’s trust. This step is most difficult to discern as religious communities are often tight-knit and personal relation with clergy is commonplace. Here, the priest can pretend sincere interest in the child’s wellbeing and development – both emotional and religious.
Reliance As a predator creates a trusting relationship with the potential victim and oftentimes their family members, the child will start to rely more and more on the predator for whatever need it is that the predator is exploiting and fulfilling. The victim will spend more time with the predator, feeling more comfortable with the relationship and counting on its stability and security. In addition to attention and affection, the potential target might receive gifts from the priest, including valuable, intangible presents such as blessings and special recognition. Isolation While grooming escalates, the predator may work to isolate the possible target. This might mean individual counseling sessions, meals or various methods of one-on-one isolated encounters. Sexualization The predator may start to de-sensitize the target 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 gauge the victim’s response to the progression. This will escalate until the relationship advances to one of a physical, sexual nature. Maintenance As the sexual relationship is created, the predator will work to maintain control of the child and the continued interaction. The predator will likely want to manipulate the victim by continuing to make the victim feel special and worthy. The predator will keep exploiting the victim by whatever means necessary to maintain the inappropriate physical relationship.
Impact on Clergy Abuse Survivors
The impact of childhood assault on the survivor can be severe and life-changing. Several priest abuse survivors suffer from long-term effects of the abuse including depression, disturbed sleeping, anxiety, post-traumatic stress, low self-esteem, suicidal thoughts, substance abuse and eating patterns, and problems creating and maintaining healthy relationships. Individualized treatment and support groups can help survivors overcome these effects.
Legally, a survivor of Priest Sexual Abuse can recover financial compensation from the abuser and, more frequently, from the church for its failure to shield the victim from the abuse, as well as failures or deficiencies in its method of reviewing and resolving to reports of assault. If you are a survivor of Priest or Clergy Sexual Assault and would like to confidentially discuss your experience and your legal options, we are ready to talk with you.
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