Cursed : constructing the experience of the Catholic clergy child molester

Abstract

This thesis constructs the experience of a group of Catholic clergy child molesters, each of whom had sexually molested a child/children aged thirteen years or younger. The specific focus was on understanding the subjective experience of sexual desire for a child among Catholic clergy child molesters. The broader purpose was to gain a greater understanding of the factors implicated in clergy child molestation. It was hoped that this might contribute to prevention and treatment programs and hence, ultimately, to fewer victims. Charmaz's (2006) constructivist grounded theory was utilised as the methodology for the study. This approach focuses on the interpretive aspects of grounded theory and is underpinned by the belief that theories are constructed from data rather than simply discovered. Thus the aim was to construct an interpretive understanding of the meaning participants made of their subjective experience. In depth interviews were conducted with each of the 12 purposively selected participants. These interviews were analysed using grounded theory coding procedures. Increasingly abstract levels of coding led to the construction of two theoretical categories - "Cursed Desire" and "Cursed Identity" - which were integrated into the core theoretical code "Cursed". This study contributes to the existing literature by providing a unique focus on the subjective experience of molesters. A tentative theory is proposed in order to account for the experience of the participants at an abstract level. This theory is influenced by Ussher's (2000) Material-Discursive-lntrapsychic model. It proposes relationships between the prevailing socio-cultural discourses as well as intrapsychic and material factors identified as relevant by the participants. These relationships result not only in the sexual desire for a child but also in the interpretation of this desire as deviant and in an ensuing burdened identity, leading to the overall experience of the participants of being "cursed".