SPOILER ALERT!
Clergy Sexual Assault – Overview
Priest Sexual Abuse comprises a wide-range of immoral and improper behaviors frequently commited against children and teens by predatory priests or other church employees involving sexual assault of varying amounts. The assault can be a one-off, non-consensual scroll barencounter or it might involve numerous assaults within an ongoing interaction. For instance, a continuing “trusting” relationship with a young child spawned by the predatory behavior of a clergy associate, blanketed with the trust and respect provided to a priest, leading to non-consensual sexual abuse acts of molestation.
In all claimed Priest or Clergy Sexual Abuse scenarios, the short-coming by the Clergy member’s superior to entirely, adequately and promptly disclose the crime to police and other authorities, or the continuing failure to investigate, address and resolve entirely with the occurrence amplifies the effects on the assault survivor, the community and possibly others. Recent Clergy Sexual Abuse cases covered in the press uncover these short-comings, which includes “pass-the-trash” scenarios when the abuser commonly a clergy in the Catholic Church, is silently moved from one parish to another only to continue his predatory, criminal action on an innocent parish community.
Priest and Clergy Sexual Assault and Retribution
Not a week goes by without a news announcement reporting regarding sexual assault and molestation of children by pedophile priests, or the effects of the abuse on the survivors and their families. If you are a survivor of sexual assault from a priest or other church member, these stories are most likely to act as an echo chamber, reverberating the horror, embarrassment, guilt and various unwelcome thoughts hurting your well-being. Encouraged by the societal movement and other pathways that encourage victims to disclose the abuse they suffered, survivors of abuse are more frequently turning to the legal system to compensate them for the lifelong damage and injury they have suffered.
If you are a victim of abuse perpetrated by a priest, the impact of the abuse on your life and core belief system can be immeasurable. Regardless, holding the responsible person and institutions accountable for their crimes and failures might offer an amount of justice and recompense to assault victims. Commonly, victims can leverage their legal rights through confidential mediation therein avoiding the need for litigation. However, if new jersey church abuse is necessary, a case may be filed where the survivor can remain anonymous.
Predatory Behavior
All predators, to varying amounts, employ predatory tricks that are commonly known as grooming, targeting a possible abuse victim. Below is a list of grooming behaviors used by predators who are in a position of authority relative to the subordinate young child.
Grooming
Grooming is a significant piece of a predator’s strategy. In a religious environment, the clergy member is revered as God’s representative. In this setting, the predator frequently works closely with small amounts of children, understanding each child’s needs, weaknesses and situations. Once a victim is located, these vulnerabilities – like violent family setting, loneliness, low self-esteem, emotional neediness, attention-seeking – may be systematically exploited in the following ways:
Trust
A predator will initially try to get the child’s trust. This step is most difficult to discern as religious communities are frequently tight-knit and personal interaction with clergy is commonplace. Here, the predator can pretend sincere interest in the child’s wellness and groeth – both emotional and religious.
Reliance
As a predator creates a trusting relationship with the potential child-victim and oftentimes their family, the child will start to rely more and more on the predator for any need it is that the predator is exploiting and fulfilling. The child will spend 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 possible victim may receive gifts from the priest, including valuable, intangible gifts such as blessings and special recognition.
Isolation
As the grooming continues, the predator will work to isolate the possible victim. This could result in individual counseling meetings, meals or various forms of one-on-one isolated encounters.
Sexualization
The predator will start to de-sensitize the target from reacting negatively to touching, caressing and various actions that lead to sexual interaction. This might begin with breaking the physical-touch barrier, or verbally, with inappropriate messages to gauge the victim’s reaction to the progression. This will continue until the relationship advances to one of a physical, sexual nature.
Maintenance
As the sexual relationship is established, the predator will work to keep control of the child and the continuing interaction. The predator will likely want to manipulate the child by continuing to make the victim feel special and worthy. The predator will continue to exploit the victim by whatever means needed to maintain the inappropriate physical relationship.
Impact on Clergy Abuse Survivors
The effect of childhood assault on the victim can be severe and life-altering. Several clergy 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 difficulty creating and keeping vibrant relationships. Individualized therapy and support groups can assist victims overcome these effects.
Legally, a victim of Priest Sexual Abuse may gain financial compensation from the predator and, more commonly, from the church for its failure to shield the child from the assault, 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 speak with you.
In all claimed Priest or Clergy Sexual Abuse scenarios, the short-coming by the Clergy member’s superior to entirely, adequately and promptly disclose the crime to police and other authorities, or the continuing failure to investigate, address and resolve entirely with the occurrence amplifies the effects on the assault survivor, the community and possibly others. Recent Clergy Sexual Abuse cases covered in the press uncover these short-comings, which includes “pass-the-trash” scenarios when the abuser commonly a clergy in the Catholic Church, is silently moved from one parish to another only to continue his predatory, criminal action on an innocent parish community.
Priest and Clergy Sexual Assault and Retribution
Not a week goes by without a news announcement reporting regarding sexual assault and molestation of children by pedophile priests, or the effects of the abuse on the survivors and their families. If you are a survivor of sexual assault from a priest or other church member, these stories are most likely to act as an echo chamber, reverberating the horror, embarrassment, guilt and various unwelcome thoughts hurting your well-being. Encouraged by the societal movement and other pathways that encourage victims to disclose the abuse they suffered, survivors of abuse are more frequently turning to the legal system to compensate them for the lifelong damage and injury they have suffered.
If you are a victim of abuse perpetrated by a priest, the impact of the abuse on your life and core belief system can be immeasurable. Regardless, holding the responsible person and institutions accountable for their crimes and failures might offer an amount of justice and recompense to assault victims. Commonly, victims can leverage their legal rights through confidential mediation therein avoiding the need for litigation. However, if new jersey church abuse is necessary, a case may be filed where the survivor can remain anonymous.
Predatory Behavior
All predators, to varying amounts, employ predatory tricks that are commonly known as grooming, targeting a possible abuse victim. Below is a list of grooming behaviors used by predators who are in a position of authority relative to the subordinate young child.
Grooming
Grooming is a significant piece of a predator’s strategy. In a religious environment, the clergy member is revered as God’s representative. In this setting, the predator frequently works closely with small amounts of children, understanding each child’s needs, weaknesses and situations. Once a victim is located, these vulnerabilities – like violent family setting, loneliness, low self-esteem, emotional neediness, attention-seeking – may be systematically exploited in the following ways:
Trust
A predator will initially try to get the child’s trust. This step is most difficult to discern as religious communities are frequently tight-knit and personal interaction with clergy is commonplace. Here, the predator can pretend sincere interest in the child’s wellness and groeth – both emotional and religious.
Reliance
As a predator creates a trusting relationship with the potential child-victim and oftentimes their family, the child will start to rely more and more on the predator for any need it is that the predator is exploiting and fulfilling. The child will spend 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 possible victim may receive gifts from the priest, including valuable, intangible gifts such as blessings and special recognition.
Isolation
As the grooming continues, the predator will work to isolate the possible victim. This could result in individual counseling meetings, meals or various forms of one-on-one isolated encounters.
Sexualization
The predator will start to de-sensitize the target from reacting negatively to touching, caressing and various actions that lead to sexual interaction. This might begin with breaking the physical-touch barrier, or verbally, with inappropriate messages to gauge the victim’s reaction to the progression. This will continue until the relationship advances to one of a physical, sexual nature.
Maintenance
As the sexual relationship is established, the predator will work to keep control of the child and the continuing interaction. The predator will likely want to manipulate the child by continuing to make the victim feel special and worthy. The predator will continue to exploit the victim by whatever means needed to maintain the inappropriate physical relationship.
Impact on Clergy Abuse Survivors
The effect of childhood assault on the victim can be severe and life-altering. Several clergy 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 difficulty creating and keeping vibrant relationships. Individualized therapy and support groups can assist victims overcome these effects.
Legally, a victim of Priest Sexual Abuse may gain financial compensation from the predator and, more commonly, from the church for its failure to shield the child from the assault, 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 speak with you.
