Comprehending and Rehabilitating Roman Catholic Clergy Offenders of Child Sexual Abuse

Abstract

Many have studied Roman Catholic clergy who have sexually abused children, but the range of investigations remains disconnected. This article brings together various disciplinary perspectives to form a comprehensive view. A review of the literature is first undertaken to comprehend how clergy offenders have been conceptualized in psychosocial, sociocultural, and moral-religious studies. These perspectives are then used as a foundation for examining how these clergy can be rehabilitated. Three rehabilitative modalities—psychological treatment, rehabilitation through restorative justice, and ritual healing—are explored. The article concludes with a discussion of the insights gained from the literature review and how the modalities can be advanced in an interdependent and considered approach.

Keywords:

• clergy sex offenders
• rehabilitation
• restorative justice
• ritual

ACKNOWLEDGMENTS

The author gratefully acknowledges the constructive comments made by the anonymous reviewers and editors of this article.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Jane Anderson

Jane Anderson is an honorary research fellow in the School of Social Sciences at the University of Western Australia. Her current research interests focus on restorative justice and relations between religion and society. She received her PhD from Curtin University Australia.