In Their Own Voices: Women Who Were Sexually Abused by Members of the Clergy

ABSTRACT

Women remain perhaps the forgotten majority of persons to survive clergy-perpetrated sexual abuse. The impact of this abuse of women has been largely overlooked. Through a qualitative exploration of narratives from semistructured interviews of 25 women sexually abused by clergy (18 as adults and 7 as children), this study examined how the women experienced symptoms associated with post-traumatic stress disorder and complex post-traumatic stress disorder. Consideration is given to clergy-specific factors related to CPSA. Other considerations included intensified captivity experiences for many and extreme isolation related to nonexistent “contexts” for validation and support. A change in personal spirituality among many subjects from structured traditional religious practice to spirituality strongly dependent on interpersonal and relational factors is also considered.

KEYWORDS:

• Women
• clergy abuse
• posttraumatic stress
• trauma
• relational spirituality

The information included herein does not in any way constitute or imply its endorsement, recommendation, or favoring by Defense Language Institute, Foreign Language Center (DLIFLC), Presidio of Monterey. The observation, analysis, and views of the author expressed herein are solely her own and do not state or reflect in any way those of DLIFLC, Presidio of Monterey.