Broken Trust: Stories of Pain, Hope, and Healing from Clerical Abuse Survivors and Abusers - Tapa dura

If there is any light to be found in the darkness of the Catholic clerical sexual abuse scandal, these authors point the way toward it by letting five recovering abusers tell their stories. Fleming and Lauber-Fleming, both psychotherapists, and Matousek, a chemical dependency counselor, say the abusers with whom they have worked professionally all have suffered some kind of trauma, often sexual abuse, that in turn affected their behavior as priests. These stories need to be told, the authors say, in the interest of breaking the cycle of abuse. Abusers whose stories appear in the book had to meet strict criteria, including taking full responsibility for their behavior. The book also includes narratives from three victims, one of whom is Lauber-Fleming, and makes a strong case that priests who abuse are sick, much like alcoholics. The authors insist that such priests can be helped, and they present a proposal for church-sponsored healing dialogues between victim and abuser as well as a model of residential recovery based on a facility directed by Matousek. Readers who are open to hearing the voices of abusers will find a very human portrayal, but one that also offers sound solutions. --- Publishers Weekly

From Boston to Los Angeles, Catholic sexual abuse scandals have been widely coverd in the media. Here for the first time the personal stories of those involved, both abusers and survivors, are presented with profound psychological insight. Five priest abusers reveal the personal tragedy behind the terrible betrayals they committed. Told in their own words--words of anger, repentance, and even self-delusion--they share their struggles with the dark forces that led them to abuse those in their care. And they give us insight into their difficult road to recovery. Silent no more, the survivors reveal the pain, trauma, shame, and devastation they have experienced at the hands of those they trusted most. We witness their courage as they go on to seek healing and peace with the past. Anyone serious about understanding the clergy abuse scandals, and everyone dedicated to building a world where such atrocities can never happen again, must read this book.