Abstract
Clerical childhood sexual abuse is a global phenomenon with individual, community and wider societal implications. In part through movements such as #MeToo, #ChurchToo and #SilenceIsNotSpiritual, those who have experienced abuse in a variety of settings, ranging from the familial, the workplace and communities of faith, have rightly felt enabled to come forward and share the abuse they encountered. A less documented and explored area, however, has been the experience of the perpetrator of abuse. ‘Are you sure people will be interested in my faith journey? … My experience is that people are rightly much more interested in the victim, whereas I am the pariah.’ These words were spoken by a perpetrator of clerical childhood sexual abuse before they took the opportunity to share their own faith journey experience(s). This paper explores the intersection of faith and practice of those who have perpetrated clerical childhood sexual abuse. It draws on the faith journey of five perpetrators (four males and one female) and explores how and where they find meaning-making post abuse as they seek to navigate faith and life. The paper also observes themes and motifs within the Christian faith that perpetrators felt might be helpful for someone who has experienced clerical CSA. The themes are explored through a qualitative, hermeneutical phenomenological methodological framework and a lived religion lens.
Presenters
Jonathan Abernethy BarkleyPost Doctoral Researcher, Theology and Religious Studies, Univeristy of Aberdeen, United Kingdom
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
Religious Community and Socialization
KEYWORDS
CLERICAL CHILDHOOD SEXUAL ABUSE, LIVED RELIGION, SOCIOLOGY OF RELIGION, PERPETRATOR
