Awake Blog
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Moral Injury: The Unexpected Wounds of Sexual Abuse in the Church
It’s little surprise to members of the Awake community that the twin crises of sexual abuse and cover-up in the Catholic Church have caused grave wounds, especially for victim-survivors of abuse. But recent research by Catholic moral theologian Marcus Mescher and his colleagues at Xavier University in Cincinnati sheds new light on some of the ways these crises have injured the Church.
What is Institutional Betrayal? And How Does It Relate to Church Abuse?
Institutional betrayal occurs when leaders of an institution fail to protect members from harm or do not respond with support if someone reveals that they’ve been hurt.
5 Things for Survivors to Consider When Sharing Their Stories
People who have experienced abuse in the Catholic Church report that sharing the story of their trauma helps their healing. At the same time, it’s necessary to share these sacred stories well, to ensure that the telling is helpful and not a source of unintended harm, says theologian Rebecca Pawloski.
Survivors Share 6 Myths About Abuse in the Church
What do people in the Catholic Church and the broader public typically get wrong about sexual abuse by Church leaders? Earlier this year, we posed this question to people in the Awake community who have experienced sexual abuse in the Church, asking them which myths they hear most.
What is DARVO? Why Learning More Could Lead to a Safer Church
When faith leaders or others are accused of sexual assault, they may respond with tactics known as DARVO to make victims seem less believable and create confusion.
Victim? Survivor? Coper? Thriver? Which Name is Best After Abuse?
We surveyed 73 people who have endured abuse and asked them which terms feel right to them, which feel wrong, and why.
What is Vos Estis Lux Mundi? How Does It Affect Church Abuse Cases?
On the fifth anniversary of Vos Estis Lux Mundi, we offer a basic primer on this papal decree, which covers the investigation of sexual abuse in the Catholic Church.
What is Institutional Betrayal? And How Does It Relate to Church Abuse?
Institutional betrayal occurs when leaders of an institution fail to protect members from harm or do not respond with support if someone reveals that they’ve been hurt.
Polyvictimization: Why Many Victim-Survivors of Church Abuse Have Suffered Previous Trauma
When victim-survivors of sexual abuse by Church leaders share their stories, some mention that they experienced previous abuse or trauma even before they were harmed in the Church. Trauma researchers report that this is not uncommon. People who…
What Should I Do If Someone Tells Me They’ve Been Abused? The 5-Step VEEEL Method
This week we revisit this terrific advice from Deborah Rodriguez, MD, who spells out how to respond if someone discloses their abuse to you. It’s helpful for anyone who wants to respond to victim-survivors with healing compassion.
Case of Prominent Jesuit Highlights Church Failures Around Abuse of Adults
The case of Fr. Marko Rupnik, a prominent Jesuit priest who has been accused of sexual and spiritual abuse of religious women, suggests that the Church hierarchy remains unwilling to take the abuse of adults seriously. Rupnik, 68,…
Explainer: What Is Restorative Justice, And How Can It Help Heal the Catholic Church?
Restorative justice is often discussed as one of many tools to address the twin crises of sexual abuse and leadership failures in the Catholic Church.
What Should I Do If Someone Tells Me They’ve Been Abused? The 5-Step VEEEL Method
This week we revisit this terrific advice from Deborah Rodriguez, MD, who spells out how to respond if someone discloses their abuse to you. It’s helpful for anyone who wants to respond to victim-survivors with healing compassion.
Why Do Victim-Survivors Sometimes Forget Their Abuse?
When survivors of sexual abuse share their stories, they sometimes describe forgetting or repressing memories of their abuse for years, even decades, before the memories resurface, usually in the form of painful flashbacks. In an effort to understand…
What is Grooming, and How is it Related to Sexual Abuse in the Church?
Discussions of sexual abuse sometimes mention “grooming,” the tactics used by abusers to prepare their victims for abuse. It’s important to recognize grooming behaviors as potential early signs of abuse.
5 Ways the Catholic Church Can Build More “Institutional Courage”
This blog post, first published in September 2020, really resonated for some on Awake’s Leadership Team.
Archdiocese of Milwaukee Launches New Policies for Reporting Misconduct, Awake Responds
The Archdiocese of Milwaukee recently announced new protocols for handling allegations of misconduct by bishops, as well as allegations of misconduct against adults by clergy or lay leaders in the Church.
Explainer: What Is Restorative Justice, And How Can It Help Heal the Catholic Church?
Restorative justice is often discussed as one of many tools to address the twin crises of sexual abuse and leadership failures in the Catholic Church.
