Language as Power: A Labeling Theory Perspective on Adult Clergy Sexual Abuse Discourse
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Abstract
This article explores how labeling theory can aid victim-survivors, religious leaders, and the public in understanding the impact of language used in discourse addressing adult clergy sexual abuse (ACSA). The #MeToo and #ChurchToo movements have led to increased exposure of abuse of power, challenging prevailing narratives and language. While clergy sexual abuse of minors is widely recognized as egregious criminal behavior, less is understood about clergy sexual abuse of adults, which is currently illegal in 13 states and D.C. in the United States. This article highlights the adverse impacts of language that disguises abuse of adults by clergy as consensual “affairs,” causing further harm to survivors and disregarding power dynamics. Embracing labeling theory, the author suggests that sociologists, akin to prophets, who critically analyze the Church’s use and misuse of power, can aid religious leaders in establishing a unified language informed by existing multidisciplinary research that accurately represents the essence of ACSA. This article emphasizes the potential of labeling theory to empower religious leaders who act as agents of social control with the ability to define and apply labels of deviance with the critical insights needed to establish a cohesive language capturing the abusive nature of ACSA.
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adult clergy sexual abuse, sexual misconduct, #churchtoo, #metoo, labeling theory, institutional betrayal, trauma-informed practices