abuse by nuns - resources

	professional articles and essays news stories selected readings for survivors and helping professionals related links professional articles and essays Female Perpetration of Child Sexual Abuse: An Overview of the Problem By Lisa Lipshires July/August, 1994, Moving Forward Newsjournal Female Perpetrated Sexual Abuse: Redefining the Construct of Sexual Abuse and Challenging Beliefs about Human Sexuality 2002, Making Daughters Safe Again Female Sexual Abusers: A Theory of Loss By Hollida Wakefield, Martha Rogers, and Ralph Underwager 1990, Institute for Psychological Therapies A National Survey of the Sexual Trauma Experiences of Catholic Nuns By John T. Chibnall, Ann Wolf, and Paul N. Duckro, Saint Louis University Review of Religious Research , Vol. 40, No. 2 (December, 1998) Speech given to the Conference of Catholic Bishops in Dallas By Mary Gail Frawley-O'Dea June 13, 2002, On Good Authority What does a child molester look like? Sometimes like a nun By Ashley Hill (to top of page) news stories Protest focuses on nuns in abuse By William Grady Tribune staff reporter Published October 4, 2004 Abuse suit involving old orphanage brings forth both critics and defenders By Peter Smith September 12, 2004, The Courier-Journal Group rallies, accuses nuns of abuse By Susan Hogan/Albach August 19, 2004, The Dallas Morning News Press Release: Response of LCWR Presidency to SNAP Request to Address Assembly By Sr. Constance Phelps, SCL August 13, 2004 , Leadership Conference of Women Religious Sexual abuse law suits now include nuns By Ellen R. Stapleton Tuesday, August 3, 2004, Associated Press Woman sues religious order, alleging abuse by nun: Suit claims acts at orphanage By Peter Smith July 31, 2004, The Courier-Journal Former nun convicted of 2 felony sex crimes By Jon Frank July 15, 2004, The Virginian-Pilot Sex Abuse by Nuns Alleged at Md. Protest Silver Spring Gathering Calls Attention to Problem By Caryle Murphy July 14, 2004, Washington Post Cries for help from survivors must be heard Jun 20, 2004, Herald Sun (Australia) Deaf Pupils Accuse Nuns of Abuse at Mass. School By Greg Frost May 11, 2004, Reuters Suit Claims Abuse by Nuns at Mass. School By Martin Finucane May 11, 2004, Associated Press 34,000 Catholic Nuns Report Sexual Abuse On the article originally published by St. Louis Post-Dispatch, 1/5/03 January 6, 2003, Living Religion Church apology after woman tells of rape Phil Wilkinson and Catherine Deveney November 24, 2002, Scotland on Sunday 'I was hooded, held down and raped' By Catherine Deveney November 17, 2002, Scotland on Sunday 'She must know before she dies we can stand up for ourselves' By Catherine Deveney November 10, 2002, Scotland on Sunday Victim, experts tell of abuse by nuns By Louis Rom, Lafayette, La. November 01, 2002, National Catholic Reporter Women religious address abuse within their ranks By Gill Donovan November 01, 2002, National Catholic Reporter Press release: Statement of LCWR National Board concerning sexual abuse August 24, 2002, Leadership Conference of Women Religious Fury over film about girls abused by nuns Reuters September 9, 2002, The Cape Times Breach of faith By Jackie Dent August 28, 2002, The Bulletin (Australia) Devotion and deceit By Louis Rom August 7, 2002, The Times of Acadiana Oakdale woman warns of abuse by nuns By Rick Linsk and Stephen Scott July 15, 2002, Pioneer Press The novice nun, the holy retreat and the barefoot apostle of love By Krista Foss June 25, 2002, The Globe and Mail (Canada) The Sexual Abuse by Women of Children and Teenagers UK TV Programme - Panorama - BBC1 - 10 pm Monday 6th October 1997 (to top of page) selected readings for survivors and helping professionals Abused Boys: The Neglected Victims of Sexual Abuse by Mic Hunter The Abused Child: Psychodynamic Understanding and Treatment by Toni Vaughn Heineman, Alicia F. Lieberman (Foreword) Banished Knowledge: Facing Childhood Injuries by Alice Miller The Betrayal Bond by Patrick Carnes Betrayed as Boys: Psychodynamic Treatment of Sexually Abused Men by Richard B. Gartner Breaking Down the Wall of Silence: The Liberating Experience of Facing Painful Truth by Alice Miller, Simon Worrall (Translator) Conspiracy of Silence: The Trauma of Incest by Sandra Butler The Courage to Heal: A Guide for Women Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse by Ellen Bass (Preface), Laura Davis (Preface) The Drama of the Gifted Child: The Search for the True Self by Alice Miller, Ruth Ward (Translator) Female Sexual Abuse of Children by Michele Elliott Female Sexual Offenders: What Therapists, Law Enforcement and Child Protective Services Need to Know by Julia Hislop From Generation to generation: Understanding sexual attraction to children by Anne Stirling Hastings From Victims to Survivors: Reclaimed voices of women sexually abused in childhood by females by Juliann Mitchell and Jill Morse Habits of Sin: An Expose of Nuns Who Sexually Abuse Children and Each Other by Ashley Hill Healing the Incest Wound: Adult Survivors in Therapy by Christine A. Courtois How Long Does It Hurt?: A Guide to Recovering from Incest and Sexual Abuse for Teenagers, Their Friends, and Their Families by Cynthia L. Mather, Kristina E. Debye, Judy Wood (Illustrator), Eliana Gil (Designer) Incest and Sexuality: A Guide to Understanding and Healing by Wendy Maltz, Beverly Holman (Contributor) Making A Transition between Elective Asceticism and Secular Life: A Life-Narrative Study of Former Roman Catholic Nuns. by Jacqueline "Fran" Fisher The Sexual Healing Journey : A Guide for Survivors of Sexual Abuse by Wendy Maltz, Carol Arian (Illustrator) Sexual Trauma and Psychopathology: Clinical Intervention With Adult Survivors by Shanti Shapiro, George M. Dominiak Treating Abused Adolescents by Eliana Gil Victims No Longer: Men Recovering from Incest and Other SexualChild Abuse by Mike Lew, Ellen Bass Wednesday's Child: Research into Women's Experience of Neglect and Abuse in Childhood, and Adult Depression by Antonia Bifulco, Patricia Moran When She Was Bad by Patricia Pearson Women Sex Offenders: Treatment and Dynamics by Adele Mayer Women who sexually abuse children: From research to clinical practice by Jacqui Saradjian and Helga G. I. Hanks (to top of page) related links Advocate Web : Helping Overcome Professional Exploitation Associates in Education and Prevention in Pastoral Practice Conference of Major Superiors of Women Religious (CMSWR) Faith Trust Institute (formerly known as the Center for the Prevention of Sexual and Domestic Violence) Healing Voices, Inc . Interfaith Sexual Trauma Institute The Leadership Conference of Women Religious (LCWR) The Linkup : Survivors of Clergy Abuse Monastery of Our Lady of Little Citeaux (Nuns for the Abused) The Safer Society Foundation SESAME : Stop Educator Sexual Abuse, Misconduct and Exploitation Survivors First SNAP : Survivor's Network for those Abused by Priests Walk-In Counseling Center of the Twin Cities (to top of page)

	What does a Child Molester Look Like? Sometimes like a Nun. by Ashley Hill While accounts of priests abusing children have become almost old hat these days (not limited to the Catholic Church, of course; the Anglicans, fundamentalists and others have their problems, too), the subject of sexually-abusive women religious has barely scraped the surface of the contemporary news flow. I know that fact all too well, having been involved with it for more than ten years now, forty-plus, if you want to include the fact that I was sexually abused by a nun at the age of seven. Over those past ten-plus years, I've learned a lot about the subject, met other victims, by phone, letter and e-mail from various parts of the world, founded the first American effort dedicated to the issue and published the ground-breaking book, Habits of Sin, in 2000. While gathering research in the early 1990's, I heard from people in 23 states and Ireland, all victims of sexual abuse by nuns. I learned about horrendous accounts of sexual abuse from "north of the border." Since my book came out, I have heard from people from all regions of the United States as well as people in Canada, England and Australia. Half were abused as children; the remainder, sexually abused in convents. Hundreds, if not thousands of stories are still struggling to be told, but the lack of support and understanding in the general public as well as the Church keep many from coming forward still. As a journalist, the research I began in the early 1990s reflected professional interest. But as one who was sexually abused by a nun at the age of seven, it was a personal search, too. How could it happen? Why did it happen? Had it happen to other kids? Why was I treated like a Teacher's Pet, only to have my private parts groped over and over? Why did she humiliate me at other times in class, screaming at me when I was trying to learn a new word and sometimes stumbled? I had never heard of women as sexual predators, but I knew it was true. Was I the only one who did? The truth is, the Church has always had problems when it comes to dealing with matters related to human sexuality. Teaching people to ignore and/or repress that side of themselves has been the "easy" way out. And when men signed up for the priesthood and women the convent, the unwritten message was, "Leave your sexuality at the door before entering." That was meant to solve any problems that might arise later on. But of course, that unwritten policy did not solve the problem; rather, it helped to create the monster that is now knocking down Church walls. Over the decades, women who chose to enter religious life often entered at a tender age. It was not unusual to do so right from high school. Candidates were often only 18 years old or so. And in the '30s, '40s, etc., "girls" were painfully naive about sexuality in general. Unlike today, when young people are maturing at a much younger age and are often sexually experienced as young teens, we know that in those days, people, especially candidates for religious life, often didn't have a clue about the topic, especially in personal terms. As such, they frequently entered religious life as "innocence-minded" individuals, childlike in many ways. Discovery of one's sexuality can be an exciting, albeit, confusing time. But take that tender time in life and add the complicating factors of leaving home and everyone and everything that is familiar when you decide to enter a women's religious community. You are thrust into a world that is repressed, unnatural, unknown. There are other young women living with you, just like yourself, who have also begun a journey that will entail confronting their mental, emotional and spiritual mettle. Unbeknownst to you and the others, sexuality will become an issue as well. I've learned from ten years of research that patterns of sexual behavior by nuns exist. In convents, for example, more than one nun/ex-nun has revealed that sexual activity is not uncommon. The following, an excerpt from my book, revealed a stunning side to life behind some convent doors. It was written by a nun who told me in detailed letters that she had been sexually abused both as a teenager by a nun at summer camp and later in convent life: ...I would say from my experience in communities [that] sexual relationships between nuns is rather common. I know this holds true for the community I was in, yet, on the other hand, the community that I wanted to transfer to and [where I] am now in the associate program, this would be very untrue, and I think it might be because they were always modern and ahead of the times. Of course, I could have been blinded and just not really seen what was going on behind closed doors as I so wanted to fit in and just couldn't at that time. I also don't think that any person, religious or not, can live in an asexual world... I do think that some or maybe all communities do attract some dysfunctional people as an escape from the real world." I strongly believe that screening future candidates for the religious life is a must. There should be an age restriction as well; no admittance before the age of 30. But first and foremost, all communities of women religious must admit to themselves and to the public that sexual abuse exists within their ranks. Only then can real change occur. Contact Ashley at: evelina35@hotmail.com Go to: www.xlibris.com/HabitsofSin.html for information about her book. (to top of page)



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