Open AccessThe Impact of Priest Sexual Abuse: Female Survivors’ Narratives
Author(s) -
Katherine van Wormer,
Lois Berns
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
affilia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.556
H-Index - 36
eISSN - 1552-3020
pISSN - 0886-1099
DOI - 10.1177/0886109903260667
Subject(s) - innocence , silence , blame , narrative , faith , child sexual abuse , sexual abuse , psychology , power (physics) , criminology , gender studies , social psychology , psychoanalysis , sociology , poison control , suicide prevention , medicine , art , theology , medical emergency , aesthetics , philosophy , physics , literature , quantum mechanics
This article explores the effect of priests' sexual abuse on victimized girls and young women. The data were obtained from in-depth interviews with women who were seeking help years after the violation. The results revealed the following themes: the loss of innocence, a period of self-blame, the loss of religious faith, immense pressure to maintain silence, recognition of the imbalance of power, and healing through out- side help. The contribution of the principles of restorative justice to victims' healing is described.
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