Spiritual violence: preying on the praying?

BELIEF SYSTEMS

- PROFESSOR BRIJ MAHARAJ

SOCIETY expects priests and religious leaders to possess the highest ethical and moral values, display exemplary integrity, follow a lifestyle in accordance with prescribed scriptures, and provide religious and spiritual support for all followers of their faith, rooted in compassion, humility, integrity, piety, and service.

There has been some justifiable public concern about "spiritual violence" and the inappropriate conduct of priests, and especially their deviation from acceptable ethical and moral conduct. According to the Church of England, "spiritual violence" is "a form of emotional and psychological abuse characterised by a systemic pattern of coercive and controlling behaviour in a religious context".

Regrettably, numerous religious institutions worldwide have reported thousands of cases of clergy sexual abuse in recent decades. In almost all religions and denominations, sexual abuse by priests and trusted leaders in the faith sector have been a grave concern, and many perpetrators may have been wilfully or inadvertently protected by institutional and organisational secrecy.

According to the Abuse Response and Prevention network: “Clergy misconduct includes sexualised behaviour, inappropriate words and innuendo, harassment, threats, physical movement and contact, hugs, kisses, touching, intercourse and emotional and spiritual manipulation. It is a grave injustice toward another person, which violates personal boundaries. At the same time, it violates the entire religious community, because a sacred trust with the congregation has been betrayed.”

There are well-documented cases in the Catholic Church, and sexual abuse is also a serious problem in other denominations and faiths. Unfortunately, the problem persists because religious organisations appear to be slow or reluctant to take appropriate measures to prevent and respond to clergy sexual abuse, and this is particularly serious in South Africa.