The Truth About Clergy Sexual Abuse: Clarifying the Facts and the Causes

By Bill Donohue

Product Code: 9781621644859

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This work challenges many myths about clergy sexual abuse, demonstrating that the sexual abuse of minors is a problem that haunts virtually every institution, religious and secular, where adults interact with young people. It also provides compelling evidence of the tremendous progress that the Church has made in preventing abuse, contrary to public perceptions. Indeed, the media, Hollywood, and activist lawyers have poisoned the public mind with tales of old cases of abuse, giving the impression that nothing has changed.

The root causes of the scandal occupy a large part of the book. The role of enabling bishops is covered, focusing on why they acted as they did. Their motives ranged from the natural tendency to favor one's in-group, to elitism and ineptitude. An overreliance on advice from therapists proved to be particularly damaging.

The role that homosexuality played was central to the scandal; it is given extensive treatment. While homosexuality does not cause sexual abuse, the prevalence of emotional and sexual immaturity among homosexuals explains why they committed most of the molestation.

The sexual revolution that unfolded in the 1960s did not escape the Catholic Church, especially the seminaries, making the 1970s the most disastrous decade for the sexual abuse of minors. Much discussion is afforded the pernicious effects of radical dissent within the Church; its role in accounting for the scandal is incontestable. Activists outside the Church also played a role in fomenting dissent, the results of which proved to be damaging.

Many lessons have been learned, which is why there has been such great progress in combating the sexual abuse of minors, but some tough questions remain.