Examination of a Nascent Taxonomy of Priest Sexual Grooming

Abstract

Research has established that sexually abusive priests often use grooming strategies on victims. Recently, researchers have proposed a behavioral taxonomy used specifically by clergy who sexually abuse children. Because this nascent taxonomy has only been studied once using a limited sample of sexually abusive priests, we seek to replicate and expand on its findings using a sample of abusive clergy from a separate institution. Specifically, we analyzed files of 18 monks in Minnesota who were credibly accused of sexual abuse. Using a deductive approach, we searched through these files in an effort to find all instances of eight clergy sexual grooming behaviors that were identified in previous research by Spraitz, Bowen, and Strange. Our findings suggest there is evidence to support the existence of this taxonomy of priest sexual grooming, although we argue that certain aspects of the centerpiece technique of their classification scheme are faulty and must be studied more extensively.

Religious Duress and Reverential Fear in Clergy Sexual Abuse Cases: Examination of Victims’ Reports and Recommendations for Change

“…These files contain 2,995 pages documenting allegations of sexual abuse, diocesan responses, civil court filings, and correspondence between all involved parties, including psychologists and attorneys. In reexamining files used by Spraitz and Bowen (2019), this study looked at data from 18 files detailing abuse allegations and responses to them by those affiliated with Saint John's Abbey in Minnesota. These files contain 9,636 pages of documentation.…”

“…Benkert and Doyle (2009) note that victims of sexual abuse by clergy may react with religious duress because the clergyman is a surrogate of God. As Spraitz and Bowen (2019) point out, a clergyman acts in persona Christi, or as a surrogate of God. That surrogacy coupled with the reverence that many bestow upon clergymen due to their status as authority figures ties it to reverential fear (Benkert & Doyle, 2009).…”

“…The fourth stage of grooming is the gradual desensitization to physical contact (Winters & Jeglic, 2017). Spraitz et al (2018) and Spraitz and Bowen (2019) identified many of these grooming behaviors, and several others, in a series of studies analyzing unsealed personnel files of priests that had been credibly accused of child sexual abuse.…”

“…In a follow-up article, Spraitz and Bowen (2019) examined a different Catholic institution that had disclosed abuse. The same grooming tactics were viewed.…”

“…The current study will add to the work started by Spraitz et al (2018) and Spraitz and Bowen (2019) by reexamining the data they analyzed as well as examining additional clergy personnel files from another diocese. Doing so will add an even greater level of empirical knowledge to what we already know of the link between religious duress and reverential fear, and clergy sexual abuse.…”