Module N – Situational and
Organizational Factors Affecting Sexual
Abuse, Types of Offenders, Grooming
Techniques, and Excuses, Justifications,
and Desistance from Abuse
Primarily for Dioceses
N-1
Understanding Sexual Abuse of
Minors by Catholic Priests:
Situational Factors
Organizational Factors
Types of Offenders, Grooming, and
Excuses, Justifications and
Desistance from Abuse
N-2
Main Sources of Data
Reports 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,
2011
• The Nature and Scope of Sexual Abuse of Minors by
Catholic Priests and Deacons in the United States, 19502002, February 2004
* 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
N-3
Part I. Situational Factors:
Settings and Circumstances
of Sexual Abuse
N-4
Settings Where Victims First Met
Priests Who Abused Them
Location of First Meeting
% Male Victims
% Female Victims
A. Church/Parish Related
64.8
58.9
B. School/Teacher
15.1
13.6
C. Home of Victim or Relative of Victim
4.9
14.2
D. Other Institutions
7.8
7.3
E. Other
7.1
6.2
99.7
100.2
Total
* % Based on Nature and Scope and victim survey of 7,142 boys and 1,762 girls.
N-5
A. Church/Parish Related
Location of First Meeting
% Male Victims
% Female Victims
At Mass
33.8
27.1
At an Altar Service/In the Rectory
12.3
10.7
In the Parish
17.5
19.9
Home of Cleric
0.8
0.7
Choir
0.4
0.5
64.8
58.9
Total
N-6
B. Teacher/School Related
Location of First Meeting
% Male Victims
% Female Victims
Teacher (up to grade 6)
0.7
1.3
Teacher (grades 7-8)
0.9
1.4
Teacher (grades 9-12)
8.4
4.9
Sunday/Parish School
0.8
0.9
Other School
2.4
4.9
Seminary Faculty/Administrator
1.9
0.2
15.1
13.6
Total
N-7
C. Home of Victim or Relative of Victim
Location of First Meeting
% Male Victims
% Female Victims
Home of Victim/Social Function with Victim’s
Family
4.5
12.7
Cleric is Relative
0.4
1.5
4.9
14.2
Total
N-8
D. Other Institutions
Location of First Meeting
% Male Victims
% Female Victims
Boys Club/Youth Recreation
4.9
5.6
Work in Hospital
0.8
0.7
In Jail/Prison/Youth Offender Residence
1.2
0.1
Orphanage
0.9
0.9
7.8
7.3
% Male Victims
% Female Victims
7.1
6.2
Total
E. Other
Location
Other
N-9
Physical Locations of Abuse
Location of Abuse
% Male Victims
% Female Victims
A. Church/Parish Related
65.8
62.7
B. Residences
59.0
47.0
C. Other Locations
30.5
25.4
Note well: Clergy sexual abuse occurs in multiple settings
 Most frequently it is in church-related locations
 A wide range of residential contexts are used
 Other public and private venues also are exploited
N-10
A. Church/Parish Related
Locations of Abuse
% Male Victims
% Female Victims
Cleric’s Home/Parish Residence
36.3
30.7
In Church
14.2
12.9
In School
8.2
11.4
Cleric’s Office
6.2
7.6
Congregate Residence
0.6
0.1
65.8
62.7
Total
N-11
B. Residences
Location of Abuse
% Male Victims
% Female Victims
In Victim’s Home
10.9
10.4
Vacation House
9.9
5.0
In Other Residences (Friends, Family)
1.0
0.8
21.8
16.2
36.6
30.7
0.6
0.1
59.0
47.0
(Following residences also included in A above.)
Cleric’s Home/Parish Residence
Congregate Residence
Total
N-12
C. Other Locations
Location of Abuse
% Male Victims
% Female Victims
In a Car
8.5
8.4
In a Hotel
7.0
3.6
On Outings – Camp, Park, Pool
7.8
5.7
Retreat House
1.2
1.5
In the Hospital
0.7
0.7
Other
5.3
5.5
30.5
25.4
Total
N-13
Circumstances/Timing of Abuse
Circumstances/Timing
% Male Victims
% Female Victims
A. Church/Parish Related
27.1
27.8
B. Social Event/Other Recreation
42.2
40.8
C. Other
14.4
16.2
83.7
84.8
Total
* Categories are not mutually exclusive, as victims may have experienced abuse in
more than one location.
N-14
A. Church/Parish Related
Circumstances/Timing
% Male Victims
% Female Victims
13.2
13.1
Church Service (Before, During, After)
8.0
3.4
School Hours
4.2
8.2
During Reconciliation
1.3
2.8
Church Service, Training
0.4
0.3
27.1
27.8
Visiting/Working at Cleric’s Home/Rectory
Total
N-15
B. Social Event/Other Recreation
Circumstances/Timing
% Male Victims
% Female Victims
During Social Event
17.8
21.9
During Travel
14.0
7.2
Cleric Visited Home of Victim
2.9
7.4
During Sporting Event
4.5
2.5
Outings
3.0
1.8
42.2
40.8
N-16
C. Other
Circumstances/Timing
% Male Victims
% Female Victims
During Counseling
6.3
7.1
Hospital Visit
0.1
0.2
During a Retreat
0.8
1.4
Other
7.2
7.5
14.4
16.2
N-17
Part II. Organizational Factors
Relating to Abuse
N-18
Priest’s Primary Duty or Role
at Time of Abuse
Duty or Role
% Male Victims
% Female Victims
77.2
80.2
B. Other Clerical Role
6.7
5.6
C. School/Teaching Role
8.7
5.6
D. Other
7.4
8.6
100.0
100.0
A. Pastoral/Parish Related
Total
* Based on Nature and Scope victim surveys of 7,864 boys and 1,863 girls.
N-19
A. Pastoral/Parish Role
Duty or Role
% Male Victims
% Female Victims
Associate Pastor
42.2
42.1
Pastor
25.0
26.0
Resident Priest
8.8
10.9
Saying Mass
1.2
1.2
77.2
80.2
Total
N-20
B. Other Clerical Role
Duty or Role
% Male Victims
% Female Victims
Bishop, Vicar, Chancellor, Cardinal
0.4
0.2
Seminarian/Seminary Administration/Faculty
1.9
1.4
School/Institutional Administrator
1.0
1.7
Chaplain
2.8
2.1
Worked in Hospital
0.6
0.2
6.7
5.6
Total
N-21
C. School/Teaching Role
Duty or Role
% Male Victims
% Female Victims
Teacher (up to grade 6)
0.2
0.1
Teacher (grades 7-8)
0.3
0.4
Teacher (grades 9-12)
7.2
4.2
Guidance Counselor
0.9
0.6
Catechism Teacher
0.1
0.3
8.7
5.6
Total
N-22
D. Other
Duty or Role
% Male Victims
% Female Victims
Boys Club/Recreation
1.6
1.2
Cleric is Relative
0.3
1.0
Other
5.5
6.4
7.4
8.6
Total
N-23
Part III. Typologies of Abuse
N-24
A. The Fixated/Regressed Typology
The distinction between fixated and regressed
sexual offending exists on a continuum and is
not simply a dichotomous distinction
Two issues that differentiate the types:
The degree to which deviant sexual behavior is
entrenched
The basis of the psychological needs that lead to
abuse
N-25
Fixated Offenders: Definition
• They have persistent, continual, and
compulsive attraction exclusively to children
from adolescence onward
• They are usually diagnosed with pedophilia,
or recurrent, intense, sexually arousing
fantasies of at least six months in duration
involving prepubescent children
N-26
Regressed Offenders: Definition
• They usually begin offending in adulthood
• Their offenses stem from stressors in the
environment, which undermine self-esteem
and confidence, and from disordered
childhood relationships
• They are not necessarily motivated by sexual
needs alone
N-27
B. FBI Typologies: Situational Offenders, 1
Type of Offender
Situational offenders
Characteristics of Offenders
Regressed
Offenders have poor coping skills, target victims
who are easily accessible, abuse children as a
substitute for adult relationships
Morally 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
boredom
Inadequate
Offenders are social misfits who are insecure, have
low self-esteem, and see relationships with
children as their only sexual outlet
N-28
FBI Typologies: Preferential Offenders, 2
Type of Offender
Preferential offenders
Characteristics of Offenders
Seductive
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 children
Sadistic
Offenders are aggressive, sexually excited by
violence, target stranger victims, and are
extremely dangerous
N-29
C. Personality Characteristics of
Clergy Offenders, 1
Several researchers have concluded that clergy offenders are
truly unique in comparison to offenders within the general
population.
•
One review of literature maintained that clergy offenders
displayed shyness, loneliness, and passivity
•
MMPI scores illustrated the presence of depression,
authority concerns, and addiction problems
•
Rorschach results indicated greater affect constriction
than normal
•
Offending clergy exhibited the presence of overcontrolled hostility more than non-offending clergy
N-30
Personality Characteristics of
Clergy Offenders, 2
One of the specific clergy studies found that offenders came
from backgrounds
•
Characterized by rigidity and dysfunction with themes of
abuse
•
Had little insight into these areas
•
Had insufficient training in the issue of transference/counter
transference
•
Had virtually no training or education concerning sexual
abuse, domestic violence, addictive disease, or healthy
professional boundaries, and
•
Failed to appreciate how their history of trauma affected
their professional life
N-31
Onset of Abuse, 3: Overcoming External
Factors that May Prevent Abuse from
Occurring
• Abusers often create opportunities for the
abuse to take place, such as socializing and
building trust with the victim’s family
• Abusers 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 enticements
N-32
D. Grooming Behavior, 1
Grooming is a pre-meditated behavior intended
to manipulate a potential victim into complying
with sexual abuse
• Examples 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
N-33
Grooming 2,
Seduction and Testing of a Child
• This tactic is used when there is a relationship
with a child and the child is accustomed to
the affectionate expression of the offender
• The offender gradually extends the
affectionate behavior, all the while “testing”
the child’s response; if no overt resistance is
observed, the sexual abuse continues
N-34
Grooming 3, Emotional Manipulation
and Verbal Coercion
• These 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 offender
N-35
Grooming 4,
Catching the Victim by Surprise
• The offender orchestrates a situation to distract
the victim or seizes the opportunity to abuse
when it occurs
• A frequent situational opportunity arises when
potential victims become altar servers or
otherwise serve a role in the church
• Seizing the opportunity is most common and is
usually the result of the offender’s frustration
from waiting for the right time to initiate contact
N-36
Grooming 5,
Using Verbal or Physical Force
• The offender garners victim compliance
through use of force
• The offender either commands the victim to
perform sexual acts and/or physically forces
the victim to engage in sexual acts
• This factor is more common among the most
serious, repeat offenders
N-37
Grooming 6,
Disguising Sexual Advances
• This tactic disguised sexual advances in the
context of playing a game. Example:
 Offender will begin by tickling the victim
and gradually progress to fondling
• While this approach may appear spontaneous,
it has been well planned by the offender, yet
orchestrated in a rather surreptitious manner
N-38
Grooming 7, Using Alcohol and Drugs
During the peak years of abuse, the use of alcohol
and drugs by abusive priests increased
significantly, but only for male victims
Why 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 males
•
The increase in the abuse of males is consistent with the
increase in the abuse of minors by priests
•
The use of alcohol and/or drugs by the abuser is a feature
of the “situational” or “regressed” child abuser, but not of
the “fixated” abuser
N-39
Grooming 8, Building Relationships
with the Families of Victims
• Family relationships were built to gain trust
• Parents of abused children trusted the priests
without reservation
• The children who were abused often accepted
the abuse and did not report it for many years
This lack of disclosure and concern about
reporting the abuse was one reason it was
able to persist
N-40
Grooming 9,
Effects of Grooming over Time
• Grooming tactics are premeditated and more
methodically planned than spontaneous abuse
 The offender is willing to wait months or
even possibly years to accomplish his task
 Eventually the victim becomes groomed to
the point that engaging in sex with the
offender is more or less automatic
N-41
Part IV. Excuses for Behavior,
Justifications for Behavior,
and Desistance from Abuse
N-42
Excuses for Behavior, 1:
Denial of Responsibility
• Accused priests denied responsibility by
making claims that
 They were “not well” (using or addicted to
substances such as alcohol and/or drugs)
 They were compelled by “sick” or “sinful”
impulses
• Forces beyond their control allowed them to
deny full responsibility for their behavior,
similar to legal claims of diminished capacity
N-43
Excuses for Behavior, 2:
Denying the Victim
• Accused priests denied the victim his or her
status by claiming that the victim
 Participated by being seductive or precocious,
or
 Did not fight back or say anything during the
abuse
• Accused 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 family
N-44
Excuses for Behavior, 3:
Denying the Victim
• Accused priests explicitly blamed victims by
placing the onus of the initiation of the
physical intimacy on the accuser
 Referred 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 acts
N-45
Justifications for Behavior, 1
• Accused priests justified their actions by
 Diminishing the wrongfulness of the behavior
 Deflecting the harmfulness of the actions
 Placing the responsibility for the deviance on
others, sometimes actually condemning the
condemners or criticizing their accusers
 Accused priests downplayed what actually
occurred or used positive language
surrounding the “relationship” between
themselves and the victim
N-46
Justifications, 2: Minimization of Harm
Many priest-abusers explained their actions as
being part of “a relationship,” “not sex,” or that it
“happened only once,” or “occurred long ago”
• Viewed the sexual behavior as consensual, not
harmful, and any behavior short of intercourse as
not wrong because it was not sex
• Insinuated that a single incident of sexual behavior
was not harmful; only repetitive acts caused harm
• Implied that the harm should be forgotten because
of the time between the incident(s) and the
accusation
N-47
Justifications, 3: Condemning the Condemners
This behavior is a deflective technique in which
priest-abusers blamed church leaders for the abuse
and/or the responses to the accusation
• One way of shifting the blame to the church
hierarchy was to say how poorly church leaders
prepared seminarians for life in the priesthood
• They also blamed church leaders for how
ineffectively they dealt with accusations of
abuse, which they considered reactive and
unforgiving
N-48
Justifications, 4: Condemning the Condemners
This 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
• This view essentially eliminated the penance aspect
of reconciliation; some priests stated that public
embarrassment was sufficient penance
• This attitude was particularly true for those who
participated in psychological treatments, but were
still removed, or served jail time
N-49
Justifications, 5: Condemning the Condemners
Some 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
They felt they were denied due process
• They believed that if only their leaders had done
things differently in the past, this “crisis” would
have been avoided
• In particular they felt they were poorly socialized to
the life of a priest
N-50
Justifications, 6:
Inadequate Seminary Preparation
Accused 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 ordained
• They 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 problem
N-51
Deviance Disavowal: Appealing to a
Higher Authority
• Accused priests believed that a sin or infraction must
first be mended with a higher authority, that is, the
authority of God
• Their particular focus was on relationship with God;
through the sacrament of reconciliation the slate
would have been wiped clean of sin
• They 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 condemnation
• However, they failed to recognize any harm to the
victim
N-52
Desistance from Abuse, 1:
Why Abuse Stopped
Desistance from abuse is affected by both
internal and external influences
• A 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 behavior
N-53
Desistance from Abuse, 2:
Why Abuse Stopped
• More commonly, abuse stopped because of
external reasons
 being removed from the parishes and situations
in which they could abuse
• Others stopped because of a combination of
internal and external reasons
 they earned a disgraceful reputation because of
their behavior
 they were “reformed” after treatment
N-54
Summary
• Situational Factors Affecting Sexual Abuse - settings and
circumstances of sexual abuse
• Organizational Factors - abusers primary duties and roles
• Types of Offenders - fixated and regressed; situational and
preferential (FBI typologies)
• Grooming Techniques - seduction, testing, manipulation,
coercion, surprise, force, and disguise
• Excuses for Behavior - denial of responsibility, denying the victim
• Justifications for Behavior - minimization of harm, condemning
the condemners, inadequate seminary preparation
• Deviance Disavowal - appealing to a higher authority
• Desistance from Abuse - why abuse stopped
N-55
Discussion Questions, 1
• Taking 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
Discussion Questions, 2
• What 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
Discussion Questions, 3
• What 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?
Link to USCCB – http://www.usccb.org/issues-and-action/childand-youth-protection/charter.cfm
N-58
Prepared by:
Sister Katarina Schuth, O.S.F., St. Paul Seminary
School of Divinity, University of St. Thomas
Technical Associate: Catherine Slight
Consultants:
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
Apostolate
N-59