Module N – Situational and Organizational Factors Affecting Sexual Abuse, Types - PowerPoint Presentation

1. Module N – Situational and Organizational Factors Affecting Sexual Abuse, Types of Offenders, Grooming Techniques, and Excuses, Justifications, and Desistance from AbusePrimarily for DiocesesN-1

2. Understanding Sexual Abuse of Minors by Catholic Priests: Situational FactorsOrganizational FactorsTypes of Offenders, Grooming, andExcuses, Justifications and Desistance from Abuse N-2

3. Main Sources of DataReports presented to the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops by the John Jay College Research Team, The City University of New York*The Causes and Context of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Catholic Priests in the United States, 1950-2010, March, 2011The Nature and Scope of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Catholic Priests and Deacons in the United States, 1950-2002, February 2004N-3* The two reports are based on data supplied by 97 percent of U.S. archdioceses and dioceses on all clergy accused of sexual abuse of minors

4. Part I. Situational Factors:Settings and Circumstances of Sexual AbuseN-4

5. Settings Where Victims First Met Priests Who Abused ThemLocation of First Meeting% Male Victims% Female VictimsA. Church/Parish Related64.8 58.9B. School/Teacher15.1 13.6C. Home of Victim or Relative of Victim 4.9 14.2D. Other Institutions 7.8 7.3E. Other 7.1 6.2 Total99.7100.2 * % Based on Nature and Scope and victim survey of 7,142 boys and 1,762 girls.N-5

6. A. Church/Parish RelatedLocation of First Meeting% Male Victims% Female VictimsAt Mass33.827.1At an Altar Service/In the Rectory12.310.7In the Parish17.519.9Home of Cleric 0.8 0.7Choir 0.4 0.5 Total64.858.9N-6

7. B. Teacher/School RelatedLocation of First Meeting% Male Victims% Female VictimsTeacher (up to grade 6) 0.7 1.3Teacher (grades 7-8) 0.9 1.4Teacher (grades 9-12) 8.4 4.9Sunday/Parish School 0.8 0.9Other School 2.4 4.9Seminary Faculty/Administrator 1.9 0.2 Total15.113.6N-7

8. C. Home of Victim or Relative of VictimLocation of First Meeting% Male Victims% Female VictimsHome of Victim/Social Function with Victim’s Family4.512.7Cleric is Relative0.4 1.5 Total4.914.2N-8

9. D. Other InstitutionsLocation of First Meeting% Male Victims% Female VictimsBoys Club/Youth Recreation4.95.6Work in Hospital0.80.7In Jail/Prison/Youth Offender Residence1.20.1Orphanage0.90.9 Total7.87.3Location% Male Victims% Female VictimsOther7.16.2E. OtherN-9

10. Physical Locations of AbuseLocation of Abuse% Male Victims% Female VictimsA. Church/Parish Related65.862.7B. Residences59.047.0C. Other Locations30.525.4N-10Note well: Clergy sexual abuse occurs in multiple settingsMost frequently it is in church-related locationsA wide range of residential contexts are usedOther public and private venues also are exploited

11. A. Church/Parish RelatedLocations of Abuse% Male Victims% Female VictimsCleric’s Home/Parish Residence36.330.7In Church14.212.9In School 8.211.4Cleric’s Office 6.2 7.6Congregate Residence 0.6 0.1 Total 65.862.7N-11

12. B. ResidencesLocation of Abuse% Male Victims% Female VictimsIn Victim’s Home10.910.4Vacation House 9.9 5.0In Other Residences (Friends, Family) 1.0 0.821.816.2(Following residences also included in A above.)Cleric’s Home/Parish Residence36.630.7Congregate Residence 0.6 0.1 Total59.047.0N-12

13. C. Other LocationsLocation of Abuse% Male Victims% Female VictimsIn a Car 8.5 8.4In a Hotel 7.0 3.6On Outings – Camp, Park, Pool 7.8 5.7Retreat House1.21.5In the Hospital 0.7 0.7Other 5.3 5.5 Total30.525.4N-13

14. Circumstances/Timing of AbuseCircumstances/Timing% Male Victims% Female VictimsA. Church/Parish Related27.127.8B. Social Event/Other Recreation42.240.8C. Other14.416.2 Total83.784.8* Categories are not mutually exclusive, as victims may have experienced abuse in more than one location.N-14

15. A. Church/Parish RelatedCircumstances/Timing% Male Victims% Female VictimsVisiting/Working at Cleric’s Home/Rectory13.213.1Church Service (Before, During, After) 8.0 3.4School Hours 4.2 8.2During Reconciliation 1.3 2.8Church Service, Training 0.4 0.3 Total27.127.8N-15

16. B. Social Event/Other RecreationCircumstances/Timing% Male Victims% Female VictimsDuring Social Event17.821.9During Travel14.0 7.2Cleric Visited Home of Victim 2.9 7.4During Sporting Event 4.5 2.5Outings 3.0 1.842.240.8N-16

17. C. OtherCircumstances/Timing% Male Victims% Female VictimsDuring Counseling 6.3 7.1Hospital Visit 0.1 0.2During a Retreat 0.8 1.4Other 7.2 7.514.416.2N-17

18. Part II. Organizational FactorsRelating to AbuseN-18

19. Priest’s Primary Duty or Roleat Time of AbuseDuty or Role% Male Victims% Female VictimsA. Pastoral/Parish Related 77.2 80.2B. Other Clerical Role 6.7 5.6C. School/Teaching Role 8.7 5.6D. Other 7.4 8.6 Total100.0100.0* Based on Nature and Scope victim surveys of 7,864 boys and 1,863 girls.N-19

20. A. Pastoral/Parish RoleDuty or Role% Male Victims% Female VictimsAssociate Pastor42.242.1Pastor25.026.0Resident Priest 8.810.9Saying Mass 1.2 1.2 Total 77.280.2N-20

21. B. Other Clerical RoleDuty or Role% Male Victims% Female VictimsBishop, Vicar, Chancellor, Cardinal0.40.2Seminarian/Seminary Administration/Faculty1.91.4School/Institutional Administrator1.01.7Chaplain2.82.1Worked in Hospital0.60.2 Total6.75.6N-21

22. C. School/Teaching RoleDuty or Role% Male Victims% Female VictimsTeacher (up to grade 6)0.20.1Teacher (grades 7-8)0.30.4Teacher (grades 9-12)7.24.2Guidance Counselor0.90.6Catechism Teacher0.10.3 Total8.75.6N-22

23. D. OtherDuty or Role% Male Victims% Female VictimsBoys Club/Recreation1.61.2Cleric is Relative0.31.0Other5.56.4 Total7.48.6N-23

24. Part III. Typologies of Abuse N-24

25. A. The Fixated/Regressed TypologyThe distinction between fixated and regressed sexual offending exists on a continuum and is not simply a dichotomous distinction N-25Two issues that differentiate the types:The degree to which deviant sexual behavior is entrenchedThe basis of the psychological needs that lead to abuse

26. Fixated Offenders: DefinitionThey have persistent, continual, and compulsive attraction exclusively to children from adolescence onwardThey are usually diagnosed with pedophilia, or recurrent, intense, sexually arousing fantasies of at least six months in duration involving prepubescent childrenN-26

27. Regressed Offenders: DefinitionThey usually begin offending in adulthoodTheir offenses stem from stressors in the environment, which undermine self-esteem and confidence, and from disordered childhood relationshipsThey are not necessarily motivated by sexual needs aloneN-27

28. B. FBI Typologies: Situational Offenders, 1Regressed Offenders have poor coping skills, target victims who are easily accessible, abuse children as a substitute for adult relationshipsMorally Indiscriminate Offenders do not prefer children over adults and tend to use children (or anyone accessible) for their own interest (sexual and otherwise) Sexually Indiscriminate Offenders are mainly interested in sexual experimentation, and abuse children out of boredomInadequate Offenders are social misfits who are insecure, have low self-esteem, and see relationships with children as their only sexual outletN-28Type of Offender Situational offendersCharacteristics of Offenders

29. FBI Typologies: Preferential Offenders, 2Seductive Offenders “court” children and give them much affection, love, gifts, and enticements in order to carry on a “relationship”Fixated Offenders have poor psychosexual development, desire affection from children, and are compulsively attracted to childrenSadistic Offenders are aggressive, sexually excited by violence, target stranger victims, and are extremely dangerousN-29Type of Offender Preferential offendersCharacteristics of Offenders

30. C. Personality Characteristics ofClergy Offenders, 1One review of literature maintained that clergy offenders displayed shyness, loneliness, and passivityMMPI scores illustrated the presence of depression, authority concerns, and addiction problemsRorschach results indicated greater affect constriction than normalOffending clergy exhibited the presence of over-controlled hostility more than non-offending clergyN-30Several researchers have concluded that clergy offenders are truly unique in comparison to offenders within the general population.

31. Personality Characteristics ofClergy Offenders, 2One of the specific clergy studies found that offenders came from backgroundsCharacterized by rigidity and dysfunction with themes of abuseHad little insight into these areasHad insufficient training in the issue of transference/counter transferenceHad virtually no training or education concerning sexual abuse, domestic violence, addictive disease, or healthy professional boundaries, andFailed to appreciate how their history of trauma affected their professional lifeN-31

32. Onset of Abuse, 3: Overcoming External Factors that May Prevent Abuse from OccurringAbusers often create opportunities for the abuse to take place, such as socializing and building trust with the victim’s familyAbusers must overcome the child’s resistance to the abuse, which is generally achieved through grooming tactics such as verbal and/or physical coercion, seduction, games, and enticementsN-32

33. D. Grooming Behavior, 1Examples of various tactics or methods used to entice victims: seduction or manipulation verbal or physical intimidation provision of “benefits” such as tickets to sporting events, or taking them on trips, money, or other gifts building of personal and family relationships Grooming is a pre-meditated behavior intended to manipulate a potential victim into complying with sexual abuseN-33

34. Grooming 2, Seduction and Testing of a ChildThis tactic is used when there is a relationship with a child and the child is accustomed to the affectionate expression of the offenderThe offender gradually extends the affectionate behavior, all the while “testing” the child’s response; if no overt resistance is observed, the sexual abuse continuesN-34

35. Grooming 3, Emotional Manipulationand Verbal CoercionThese were the most common tactics used by offenders to groom their victims. Examples:- Doing favors for the victim in exchange for sex- Emotionally blackmailing the victim into compliance- Even though it may appear that there is room for negotiation on the part of the victim, the outcome always favors the offenderN-35

36. Grooming 4, Catching the Victim by SurpriseThe offender orchestrates a situation to distract the victim or seizes the opportunity to abuse when it occursA frequent situational opportunity arises when potential victims become altar servers or otherwise serve a role in the churchSeizing the opportunity is most common and is usually the result of the offender’s frustration from waiting for the right time to initiate contactN-36

37. Grooming 5, Using Verbal or Physical ForceThe offender garners victim compliance through use of forceThe offender either commands the victim to perform sexual acts and/or physically forces the victim to engage in sexual actsThis factor is more common among the most serious, repeat offendersN-37

38. Grooming 6, Disguising Sexual AdvancesThis tactic disguised sexual advances in the context of playing a game. Example:Offender will begin by tickling the victim and gradually progress to fondlingWhile this approach may appear spontaneous, it has been well planned by the offender, yet orchestrated in a rather surreptitious mannerN-38

39. Grooming 7, Using Alcohol and DrugsDuring the peak years of abuse, the use of alcohol and drugs by abusive priests increased significantly, but only for male victimsWhy this finding is important:The increase in the use of alcohol and drugs by the abuser is consistent with the increase in the abuse of malesThe increase in the abuse of males is consistent with the increase in the abuse of minors by priestsThe use of alcohol and/or drugs by the abuser is a feature of the “situational” or “regressed” child abuser, but not of the “fixated” abuserN-39

40. Grooming 8, Building Relationshipswith the Families of VictimsFamily relationships were built to gain trustParents of abused children trusted the priests without reservationThe children who were abused often accepted the abuse and did not report it for many yearsThis lack of disclosure and concern about reporting the abuse was one reason it was able to persistN-40

41. Grooming 9, Effects of Grooming over TimeGrooming tactics are premeditated and more methodically planned than spontaneous abuseThe offender is willing to wait months or even possibly years to accomplish his taskEventually the victim becomes groomed to the point that engaging in sex with the offender is more or less automaticN-41

42. Part IV. Excuses for Behavior, Justifications for Behavior, and Desistance from AbuseN-42

43. Excuses for Behavior, 1:Denial of ResponsibilityAccused priests denied responsibility by making claims thatThey were “not well” (using or addicted to substances such as alcohol and/or drugs)They were compelled by “sick” or “sinful” impulsesForces beyond their control allowed them to deny full responsibility for their behavior, similar to legal claims of diminished capacityN-43

44. Excuses for Behavior, 2:Denying the VictimAccused priests denied the victim his or her status by claiming that the victimParticipated by being seductive or precocious, orDid not fight back or say anything during the abuseAccused priests blamed the victim or the victim’s family for setting up conditions that allowed the abuse to occur by inviting him into their home, engaging him socially, and including him as part of the familyN-44

45. Excuses for Behavior, 3:Denying the VictimAccused priests explicitly blamed victims by placing the onus of the initiation of the physical intimacy on the accuserReferred to the abuse as a “relationship”Noted that the victims were “willing” or “precocious”Considered themselves the “victims” because they were accused of these indecent actsN-45

46. Justifications for Behavior, 1Accused priests justified their actions byDiminishing the wrongfulness of the behaviorDeflecting the harmfulness of the actionsPlacing the responsibility for the deviance on others, sometimes actually condemning the condemners or criticizing their accusersAccused priests downplayed what actually occurred or used positive language surrounding the “relationship” between themselves and the victimN-46

47. Justifications, 2: Minimization of HarmViewed the sexual behavior as consensual, not harmful, and any behavior short of intercourse as not wrong because it was not sexInsinuated that a single incident of sexual behavior was not harmful; only repetitive acts caused harmImplied that the harm should be forgotten because of the time between the incident(s) and the accusationN-47Many priest-abusers explained their actions as being part of “a relationship,” “not sex,” or that it “happened only once,” or “occurred long ago”

48. Justifications, 3: Condemning the CondemnersThis behavior is a deflective technique in which priest-abusers blamed church leaders for the abuse and/or the responses to the accusationOne way of shifting the blame to the church hierarchy was to say how poorly church leaders prepared seminarians for life in the priesthoodThey also blamed church leaders for how ineffectively they dealt with accusations of abuse, which they considered reactive and unforgivingN-48

49. Justifications, 4: Condemning the CondemnersThis view essentially eliminated the penance aspect of reconciliation; some priests stated that public embarrassment was sufficient penanceThis attitude was particularly true for those who participated in psychological treatments, but were still removed, or served jail timeN-49This form of justification draws on the culture of forgiveness: accused priests noted that the Catholic practice of reconciliation should outweigh the sins and no one should take action against them in response to allegations

50. Justifications, 5: Condemning the Condemners They felt they were denied due processThey believed that if only their leaders had done things differently in the past, this “crisis” would have been avoidedIn particular they felt they were poorly socialized to the life of a priestN-50Some clergy accused of sexual abuse believed that the 2002 Charter for the Protection of Children and Young People created a negative attitude particularly because of the zero-tolerance policy for those accused of abuse

51. Justifications, 6: Inadequate Seminary PreparationAccused priests indicated that had each man been adequately trained to undertake priestly life, they may have been able to make better choices, for example  They may not have chosen to be ordainedThey might have been better equipped to adjust to the loneliness and realities of the life of celibate chastity, though no priest said that the vow of celibate chastity was the actual problemN-51

52. Deviance Disavowal: Appealing to a Higher AuthorityAccused priests believed that a sin or infraction must first be mended with a higher authority, that is, the authority of GodTheir particular focus was on relationship with God; through the sacrament of reconciliation the slate would have been wiped clean of sinThey may have sought forgiveness also from parishioners and victims, or completed some distinct punishment or treatment and therefore that should be enough to end the process of condemnationHowever, they failed to recognize any harm to the victimN-52

53. Desistance from Abuse, 1:Why Abuse StoppedA small percentage of priest-abusers stopped because of internal reasons Feeling guilty about their behavior Having a sense of remorse Feeling shame because of their behaviorN-53Desistance from abuse is affected by both internal and external influences

54. Desistance from Abuse, 2:Why Abuse StoppedMore commonly, abuse stopped because of external reasons being removed from the parishes and situations in which they could abuseOthers stopped because of a combination of internal and external reasonsthey earned a disgraceful reputation because of their behaviorthey were “reformed” after treatmentN-54

55. Summary Situational Factors Affecting Sexual Abuse - settings and circumstances of sexual abuseOrganizational Factors - abusers primary duties and rolesTypes of Offenders - fixated and regressed; situational and preferential (FBI typologies)Grooming Techniques - seduction, testing, manipulation, coercion, surprise, force, and disguiseExcuses for Behavior - denial of responsibility, denying the victimJustifications for Behavior - minimization of harm, condemning the condemners, inadequate seminary preparationDeviance Disavowal - appealing to a higher authorityDesistance from Abuse - why abuse stoppedN-55

56. Discussion Questions, 1Taking into account the circumstances and timing that were most common when abuse was perpetrated, what instructions should be given to those who are or soon will be serving in ministry?Considering the settings and locations where abuse took place, what precautions should priests and other church leaders take about where they meet young people?What other safeguards should dioceses put in place to deter abuse in and around parishes?N-56

57. Discussion Questions, 2What are the major differences between fixated and regressed sexual offenders?What differentiates situational from preferential offenders?How do clergy sex offenders differ from the general population of sex offenders?How can those responsible for the care of children and young people be made more aware of the characteristics of grooming behavior and how to respond when it occurs?N-57

58. Discussion Questions, 3What are the essential ingredients of educational programs that dioceses should have in place to help prevent sexual abuse?What are some of the relevant factors to be aware of at the onset of abuse?How do the excuses and justifications for sexual abuse affect the persistence of the behavior?What are some ways supervisors can more readily detect abuse?N-58Link to USCCB – http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/child-and-youth-protection/charter.cfm

59. Prepared by:Sister Katarina Schuth, O.S.F., St. Paul Seminary School of Divinity, University of St. ThomasTechnical Associate: Catherine SlightConsultants: Dr. Karen Terry and Margaret Smith, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, authors of major studies on sexual abuse for the USCCB; Dr. Mary Gautier, Center for Applied Research in the ApostolateN-59