What is Spiritual Abuse?
Spiritual abuse is one of the many methods perpetrators use to manipulate and harm children. Spiritual abuse occurs when the child’s religion and belief systems are used to manipulate, control, or demean them. This type of abuse can be perpetrated by anybody, but it is often incorporated by religious figures or leaders like priests and youth leaders.
Spiritual abuse often leverages inherent power dynamics within the structure of the religious organization itself, so it may not be emphasized as part of a typical discussion about abuse prevention. This form of manipulation should never be ignored as it can still have a deep impact on the survivor.
How To Identify Spiritual Abuse
Spiritual abuse occurs when a person is compelled to act out of some perceived religious obligation. Religious institutions have authority figures, and children are often instructed by parents and other trusted family members to obey those authority figures without pause. Children are taught that these authority figures are an embodiment of God, and that they hold the power to send them to heaven or hell. These types of deeply held beliefs create a vulnerability to spiritual abuse, and when the authority figures betray this trust, the results can be devastating.
Spiritual abuse feeds on a person’s guilt, fear, obligations, and religious dedication to convince a person to take actions that they normally wouldn’t do. In some cases, a sexual abuser who is also a religious leader may weaponize religion and use it as a tool to manipulate and control the victim, saying things like “I’m a man of God, you need to do what I say”, “We are doing this to get closer to God” or “If you don’t do this God will be angry at you”. Religious authorities may employ these aspects of spiritual abuse for personal reasons, such as monetary gain or sexual satisfaction. A recent study by The Chicago School found that between 27% and 33% of adults in the United States have experienced spiritual abuse.
If you have been manipulated into sexual exploitation by a clergy member employing spiritual abuse, contact us confidentially here.
Are Spiritual Abuse and Institutional Abuse the Same?
Spiritual abuse often goes hand in hand with institutional abuse. Institutional abuse occurs through the actions of members of a trusted organization. Institutions that serve or involve children should all have protections that keep kids safe from adults, and these protections should target institutional abuse in general. Like spiritual abuse, institutional abuse may happen because a trusted member of the organization betrays the trust placed in them and hurts a child. Like spiritual abuse, institutional abuse often arises out of circumstances that allow a trusted adult to access, groom, and manipulate a child under false pretenses.
The two terms are different in a number of ways. For one, institutional abuse is a broader concept. Religious organizations are themselves examples of trusted institutions in which institutional abuse can occur. Each of them must be mindful of that, but there are other institutions that are not religious that would benefit from the same rules and protections. For example, a religious school and a public school should both have similar rules to protect children from inappropriate contact with faculty. Second, spiritual abuse is more focused on the way the perpetrator leverages their authority over a child. A spiritual abuser can rely on religious doctrine to obtain compliance beyond simply their role as a trusted adult. This heightened level of control over the child sets spiritual abuse apart from other types of institutional abuse.
If you believe that you were spiritually abused and that the Church is trying to silence you, coming forward can help prevent future abuse from taking place.
Spiritual Abuse Examples
Spiritual abuse can be extremely harmful, and here are some examples:
- Using Religion for Personal Gain – Religious figures, clergy, and officials enjoy significant authority and trust within their organizations. Sometimes this trust is abused for personal gain, including access to church funds and resources. A religious abuser may also manipulate people for other non-monetary personal gain such as sexual pleasure or power in the community.
- Forcing Practices – This can be a religious leader forcing someone to adopt practices that the person may not agree with. People often approach religious leaders for counsel and advice. The trust that a person places in these individuals can be betrayed when they are instructed to do something harmful.
- Using Scripture for Abusive Tendencies – This aspect is often linked to other forms of abuse, such as physical or emotional. Religious texts might be manipulated and interpreted to support any type of behavior, and because the spiritual leader is seen as the expert on scripture, others will not feel they have authority to disagree.
- Inability to Question the Abuser – Abusers may claim that questioning them, pushing back, or saying “no” to something is a lack of faith to God or their church. This creates an abusive dynamic where the victim cannot safely voice their concerns, fears, or thoughts.
- Isolation – Abusers will often isolate the victim from others outside the Church or family or friends who don’t share the same religious beliefs. The less exposure to other beliefs or perspectives the victim has, the easier they are to control.
Have You Experienced Spiritual & Sexual Abuse in the Church? Take The First Step with a Free Legal Consultation
Spiritual abuse is one of the most difficult forms of abuse to understand, however, we have decades of experience in dealing with spiritual and clergy sexual abuse. If you aren’t sure if what you experienced was abuse, contact us for a free and compassionate conversation.