Uncovering the Behavioral Patterns of Sexually Abusive Clergy: An Integrative Review Nathalie Burmeister (Nursing) | Dr. Jason Spraitz (Criminal Justice) University of Wisconsin – Eau Claire

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE EPHEBOPHILIA AMONG ABUSIVE DISCUSSION & Results from a content analysis of 17 personnel files of “The data from the John Jay study, covering the time period FUTURE RESEARCH credibly accused sexually abusive priests from one of CLERGY: WHAT IS KNOWN from 1950 to 2002, indicates that 80% of the Catholic priests Minnesota’s Catholic dioceses identified trends CHARACTERISTICS who had allegations of sexually molesting children molested • Data from the Winona files suggests ephebophilia. in offender behavior and victim preference. This only boys and that 65% of the boys who were molested were in This poses the question of ephebophilic • Younger than pedophiles at age of first offense suggests that behavioral characteristics and victim the 11- 17-year-old age range.” (Cimbolic & Cartor 2006) prevalence among such a concentrated • More sensitive to stress than pedophiles preferences of sexually abusive clergy may not be population. unique; rather, they may be specific to a certain type • More likely than pedophiles to be investigated by police • More likely than pedophiles to have a history of of sexual offender. OFFENDING PATTERN/VICTIM PREFERENCE • Adolescents who are highly interactive with substance abuse • Primary victim is adolescent male authority figures possessing ephebophilic • More amenable to treatment than pedophiles because Project Objective: To closely examine existing • Typically, do not use threats to coerce victims tendencies may be at an increased risk for sexual they suffer from less cognitive distortion and their empirical literature on the characteristics of clergy sex • More likely than pedophiles to provide alcohol to abuse. sexual interests are more similar to teleiophilia offenders. And, identify how these characteristics may victim at time of offense be indicative of the behavioral tendencies of abusive COPING STRATEGIES • Abuse is likely to occur at sporting events, events • Techniques of neutralization and their usage priests from the Winona Diocese. involving travel, or during counseling among clergy sexual offenders have been • Likely to engage in sexually abusive • Abuse is more likely to occur at the priest’s previously studied and are similar to the clergy behaviors in reaction to stress residence or in a public place when compared to sexual offender thought processes identified in RESEARCH METHODS • More likely than pedophiles pedophile-perpetrated abuse this analysis. • The Winona files were reexamined for to use alcohol or drugs at the time of indications of offender and victim characteristics. offense • Tallon & Terry (2008) indicates that there are two types of offenders: generalists who have no • We used search engines, primarily EBSCO, to CLERGY SEXUAL OFFENDERS: WHAT IS KNOWN preference in victim characteristics, and look for articles containing empirical information specialists who do have a preference in victim about abusive clergy. Our search terms included: FACTS THOUGHT PROCESSES characteristics. Among offending clergy in the “sexual abuse” “addiction” “clergy” • More likely to have male victims and older victims than • May view themselves as victims after committing specialist group, ephebophilia is the most the “ephebophilia” “coping” “impulsive” “priest” nonclergy sexual offenders sexual abuse prevalent specialist type. However, the offending “grooming” “alcoholic” “abuse” “victim.” • More likely to have a history of consensual relationships with • A survey of several clergy offenders revealed they type most common among clergy is a generalist males were aware of their actions offender. • 20 articles were incorporated into the review. We • Often seek opportunities to interact with victims and • Some are unable to forgive used 16 of the articles in our analysis. victims’ families • Some believe that abusing males is not a violation • Ephebophilia is an understudied phenomenon • Abusive childhood experiences significantly increase the of Holy Orders, whereas abusing females is a and further research is needed to better likelihood of perpetrating abuse violation differentiate ephebophiles from other types of THE AGE-GENDER GRADIENT • Factors in upbringing such as a priest’s negative relationship • One study reported the thought process at various sexual offenders among the clergy population and Bailey et al. (2016) validates a previously- with his father, an inability to form a definitive identity, and stages of the offense: the general population. proposed theory that a man’s degree of sexual being forbidden to form desired relationships may predispose • Pre-offense: Likely to rationalize intent with arousal to various age-gender groups follows an abuse perpetration reasons such as loneliness, REFERENCES age-gender gradient. Men primarily aroused by • Clergy who are dependent, avoidant, or obsessive-compulsive sadness, and entitlement Bailey, J., Hsu, K., & Bernhard, P. (2016). An Internet Study of Men Sexually Attracted to Children: Sexual Attraction one age-gender group will be secondarily most- may demonstrate a need for acceptance • During the offense: Likely to entertain false ideals Patterns. Journal of Abnormal ,125(7), 976-988. Brenneis, M. J. (2002). Understandings, Definitions, and Experiences of Clergy in Residential Psychiatric aroused by individuals from the adjacent groups. • Severe alcohol use and drug dependency is a characteristic of (i.e., feelings between offender and victim are Treatment. Counseling and Values, 46(2), 84-95. Calkins, C., Fargo, J., Jeglic, E., & Terry, K. (2015). Blessed be the Children: A Case–Control Study of Sexual Abusers in the some offenders mutual) Catholic Church. Behavioral Sciences & the Law, 33(4), 580-594.

• Of offenders who have been abused as children, some may have • Post-offense: Likely to reduce guilt by rationalizing Cartor, P., Cimbolic, P., & Tallon, J. (2008). Differentiating from Ephebophilia in Cleric Offenders. Sexual Addiction & Compulsivity, 15(4), 311-319. co-occurring alcohol and drug dependencies the seriousness, being kind to “make up for it,” Cimbolic, P., & Cartor, P. (2006). Looking at Ephebophilia through the Lens of Cleric Sexual Abuse. Sexual Addiction & • Not getting caught increases likelihood of abuse occurring again relying on God’s forgiveness, and attributing it Compulsivity, 13(4), 347-359. Age-Gender Gradient adapted from Bailey, et al. (2016) D’alton, P., Guilfoyle, M., & Randall, P. (2013). Roman Catholic Clergy who have sexually abused children: Their perceptions externally (i.e., negative childhood experiences, it of their developmental experience. Abuse & Neglect, 37(9), 698-702.

was victim’s fault) Falkenhain, M., Duckro, P., Hughes, H., Rossetti, S., & Gfeller, J. (1999). Cluster analysis of child sexual offenders: A validation with roman catholic priests and brothers. Sexual Addiction & Compulsivity, 6(4), 317-336.

Fogler, J. M., Shipherd, J. C., Rowe, E., Jensen, J., & Clarke, S. (2008). A Theoretical Foundation for Understanding Clergy- TERMINOLOGY Perpetrated Sexual Abuse. Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 17(3-4), 301-4), p.301-328. Haywood, T. W., Kravitz, H. M., Wasyliw, O. E., Goldberg, J., & Cavanaugh, J. L. (1996). Cycle of abuse and in HOW THIS INFORMATION RELATES TO THE WINONA FILES cleric and noncleric molesters of children and adolescents. Child Abuse & Neglect,20(12), 1233-1243. RECOGNIZED TERMS FOR SEXUAL Lothstein, L. (2004). Men of the Flesh: The Evaluation and Treatment of Sexually Abusing Priests. Studies in Gender and PREFERENCES • 12 files document abuse of males; all 12 show that abuse occurred in locations such as the priest’s home, a social Sexuality, 5(2), 167-195. event, confessional, or places of special privilege Montana, S., Thompson, G., Ellsworth, P., Lagan, H., Helmus, L., & Rhoades, C. (2012). Predicting relapse for Catholic clergy Pedophilia: Sexual preference prepubescent children sex offenders: The use of the static-99. Sexual Abuse : A Journal of Research and Treatment, 24(6), 575-90. • 4 files report a somewhat discernable age of the male victims, using terms such as “young man” Plante, T., & Aldridge, G. (2005). Psychological Patterns Among Roman Catholic Clergy Accused of Sexual : Sexual preference for pubescent children Misconduct. Pastoral Psychology, 54(1), 73-80. • 9 files display evidence of alcoholism Ephebophilia: Sexual preference for adolescents Ryan, G., Baerwald, J., & McGlone, G. (2008). Cognitive mediational deficits and the role of coping styles in pedophile and Teleiophilia: Sexual preference for adults • 3 files show signs of familial alcoholism ephebophile Roman Catholic clergy. Journal of Clinical Psychology, 64(1), 1-16. Saradjian, A., & Nobus, D. (2003). Cognitive Distortions of Religious Professionals Who Sexually Abuse Children. Journal of • 1 file shows that the clergy member provided a victim with alcohol Interpersonal Violence,18(8), 905-923. • Collectively, this data suggests ephebophilia Tallon, J., & Terry, K. (2008). Analyzing Paraphilic Activity, Specialization, and Generalization in Priests Who Sexually Some offenders may not have preferences pertaining Abused Minors. Criminal Justice and Behavior, 35(5), 615-628. to the above categories. Terry, K., Calkins Mercado, C., & Perillo, A. (2008). Priests Who Abuse and Were Abused: Understanding Victimization in the Catholic Church. Victims & Offenders,3(4), 412-422.

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