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in a Time
Scapegoating
of Crisis
Barry McMillan
In the heightened
public discourse on clerical child sexual abuse in
recent weeks,
there has been much
talk of 'getting to the truth'.
With regard to the reporting of cases, the clerical response, and the
question of how cases were or were not dealt with, this is clearly
both fundamental
and essential.
It is, along with the testimonies
of
the abused themselves,
one of the central pillars of the whole mat
ter. But it is not the whole story. A corollary of 'getting to the truth'
in terms of such information,
is an equal 'getting to the truth' in
terms of correctly identifying who or which people are responsible
on from that, why they abuse.
for the abuse - and following
Some recent media
reporting, both national and international,
and a statement
from the Vatican
have us
press office would
believe
that it is homosexuals
who are the source and cause of
child sexual abuse.
clerical
It is the purpose
of this article to
this reporting, outline
examine
the relevant medical
and psycho
this
and
to
evaluate
For
the
contention.
data,
logical
mis-identify
for clerical child sexual abuse at this crucial
people
responsible
be not only profoundly
but also very
juncture would
wrong
dangerous,
and
for
two
clear
reasons.
to abuse
again.
OF A PREVAILING
media
PREJUDICE
coverage
on RTE
on RTE
1 on 2 April
1 on 5 April
2002.
2002.
is a moral
and a Jubilee
Barry McMillan
theologian
Scholar
in the Department
of Theology
and Religious
Immaculate College,
of
Limerick.
Mary
University
276
Research
Studies,
IN A TIME OF CRISIS
SCAPEGOATING
of
that made
evidence
them valuable and laudable, also provided
and of the consciousness-shaping
power
journalistic
imprecision
of interviewees.
of presenting
recollections
uncontextualized
No criticism of the interviewees
is implied here - clearly they
asked of them, that is,
the programme-makers
simply did what
retell their experience
of events citing what was said at the time.
What
is under interrogation,
is how responsibly
the
however,
makers and interviewers
of these programmes
used and presented
some
of
this material.
on
emphasis
professional
the
phrase,
programme-maker
me
'... queered
is unaware
up'.
of a programme's
- how
capacity for shaping perceptions
language,
image and con
text create meaning
for the viewer. The three examples
cited, used
in the way they were, served to draw a direct relationship
between
and the current most notorious
clerical child sex
homosexuality
abuser.
International
media
coverage
Herald,^
quotes
an
anonymous
priest
thus:
7 April
2002.
in ranks pose
threat
to Church'.
The Boston
277
THE FURROW
Whilst
and scaremongering
scapegoating
might be thought to
be the territory of the tabloid, and thereby, in some sense to be
to note that the English
it was disturbing
Catholic
expected,
The
to
in
its
columns
editorials
and
Tablet, began
newsweekly,
and to report
report uncritically what was being said inAmerica,
so selectively,
as to create a connection
clerical child
between
sexual
light
torial
Boston
sexual
abuse,
One
on
the
citing
-
as
to
nature
homosexual
The Pilot
its
a disproportionate
mitted
and
compulsion,
celibacy,
source,
of
clerical
the newspaper
'...
asserted,
number
that
homosexuals.
the
arises.'6
abuse
...'s An
edi
the Archdiocese
it is precisely
of homosexuals
danger
sex
of
when
in a priesthood
However,
of
[there
when
is]
com
one
278
'Florida bishop
The Tablet,
16March
resigns over sex abuse of minor',
'Shock waves
from a sex abuse scandal',
The Tablet, 23 March
2002.
that must be faced', The Pilot,
15March
2002.
'Questions
'An editorial with a life of its own', The Pilot 22 March
2002.
2002
SCAPEGOATING
IN A TIME OF CRISIS
THE
PREVAILING
PREJUDICE
basics
Psychological
or bi
Sexual
orientation
heterosexual
homosexual,
(whether
sexual) is one of four elements which make up sexual identity
the other three being biological
and
social
sex, gender
identity,
- the estab
sex role. The American
(APA)
Psychiatric Association
lished international
states with regard to
society of psychiatrists
sexual orientation:
homosexual
All major
mental
health organizations
have
professional
is not a mental
gone on record to affirm that homosexuality
In 1973 the American
disorder.
Association's
Psychiatric
Board of Trustees
from its official
removed homosexuality
and Statistical Manual
diagnostic manual, The Diagnostic
of
Mental Disorders,
Second Edition
(DSMII). The action was
a review of the scientific
taken following
literature and con
in the field. The experts found that
sultation with experts
a
does not meet the criteria to be considered
homosexuality
mental
illness.
The APA compiles
and produces
the Diagnostic
& Statistical
Manual
Mental
Disorders
in
its
fourth
edition
of
currently
- the
(DSM-IV)
internationally
recognized
listing of psychiatric
disorders.
The
purpose
of
is to provide
the DSM-IV
clear,
objec
of mental
tive descriptions
illnesses, based on scientific data. In it
as they are
is outlined
the list of sexual disorders - paraphilias,
termed,
technically
are
The essential features of a paraphilia
('sexual deviation')
intense
recurrent,
sexually
dren
or
other
non-consenting
sexual
fantasies,
arousing
or behaviors
that generally
involve
or
of
humiliation
oneself
suffering
persons.10
of note
for our discussion
paraphilia
to
the
DSM-IV
definition;
According
children
Most adults who sexually molest
... [PJedophilia
involves
have pedophilia
is paedophilia.
The
9.
'Gay men
10. American
should
are considered
sexual activity
Psychiatric
urges,
non-human
subjects, the
or one's partner, or chil
October
to
by
1997.
279
THE FURROW
an adult with
a prepubescent
child. Some individuals prefer
usually 8- to 10-year-olds. Those attracted to males
older children.
Some prefer both
usually
prefer
slightly
sexes. While
some are sexually attracted only to children,
females,
others
are
also
sometimes
to adults."
attracted
children.
AND
RESPONSES
In the United
was
strong.
DEVELOPMENTS
States
Eugene
response
Kennedy,
to Dr Navarro-Valls's
statements
a now
priest
former
married
and
The Unhealed
and Human
Wound:
The Church
to
The
Blade:
commented
Sexuality,
Washington
of homosexual
have
served with
great
Plenty
priests
their vows, and have served their
integrity, never violated
are
To say homosexual
ordinations
generously.
people
invalid would be an easy way of making
scapegoats of these
people. But it would not solve the problem.12
and former
The Washington
Blade
also quoted psychotherapist
at Johns
Dr
Richard
of
the
of
Sipe
Department
Psychiatry
priest
Medical
School,
against
'Discriminating
Hopkins
University
to solve the problem',13
and Dr Jack
is not going
orientation
Association's
of the American
Chair
Drescher,
Psychiatric
on Gay, Lesbian & Bisexual
Committee
Issues, stated that it is
common for 'uneducated people' to link adult homosexuality
with
and
continued,
paedophilia,
its
It is unfortunate
that the Catholic
Church
compounds
issue
pedophile
priest problem by linking it to the unrelated
or not the Church should accept gay priests and
of whether
author
of
whether
11. Ibid.
12. Rhonda
Washington
13. Ibid.
14. Ibid.
280
gay
priests
can
maintain
'Vatican
blames
Smith,
8 March
2002.
Blade,
gays
vows
for
of
priest
celibacy.14
sexual
abuse',
The
SCAPEGOATING
IN A TIME OF CRISIS
of Moral Theology
Professor
In recent weeks, Dr James Keenan,
atWeston
also commented:
Jesuit School of Theology,
The laity are insistent about Church leadership being respon
sible and they are particularly
impatient with any 'buck
...
Dr
the Vatican
[W]hen
spokesman,
passing'
tried to suggest that clergy who are gay are
Navarro-Valls,
the claim as evident
part of the problem, most dismissed
... [S]ome
such as Eugene
specialists,
scapegoating
author of The Changing
and Fr Donald Cozzens,
Kennedy
that
Face of the Priesthood,
have given ample commentary
a priest's
sexual and emotional maturity
and not his sexual
is their matter of concern. My own experience
orientation
this.15
confirms
A FAILING
PREJUDICE
distinction
between
and paraphilia
is
sexual orientation
a
in
correct
of
understanding
pivotal
developing
psycho-sexuality.
It should be clear by now that the relevant factor with regard to
but is rather, the para
child sexual abuse is not sexual orientation,
or
of
either
Those
therefore, who
philia
ephebophilia.
paedophilia
a
have
homosexual
orien
would accuse men, purely because
they
child sexual abuse are
for clerical
tation, of being responsible
or wilfully
dishonest.
either
simply
ignorant, misinformed,
The
Moreover,
this
erroneous
accusation
distracts
and
frustrates
the
on the development
from being properly
focused
of
emphasis
and
in
and dealing with
necessary
steps
responsible
preventing
clerical child sexual abuse now and in the future.
2002.
The Tablet,
'The Purge of Boston',
30 March
15. James Keenan,
and gays', The Tablet,
16. "Boston archdiocese's
paper sparks debate on celibacy
2002.
23 March
281