Archdiocese of Madrid puts the focus on spiritual and conscientious abuse

The Archdiocese of Madrid (Spain) has focused on spiritual and conscientious abuse by publishing the data corresponding to 2024 of the Repair projectan initiative for the attention to victims of abuse started five years ago.

This was what he wanted to highlight with the publication of a video based on testimonies of victims, through which different types of spiritual abuse and conscience are explained such as “occupying the place of God in the conscience of another person” or “censoring discernment and the decision -making itself in the name of the divine authority.”

They are also defined as abuse of authority, spiritual and conscientious “infantilizing another person to generate dependence and submit their will”, “place themselves as an essential mediator in another person’s relationship with God” or “demand secret, impose silence or want to become the only confidant of a person.”

They are also abuse behaviors “violate confidentiality”, “silence criticism in the name of God” or “use the Word of God to legitimize sexual practices and manipulate the will of another person.”

Last year, the Archdiocese of Madrid attended a total of 109 people victims of sexual abuse and authority (95 direct and 14 secondary schools).

Among the direct victims, treated in 2024, about twenty has denounced cases related to the abuse of authority and awareness, 13 of them happened within ecclesial movements and realities. Five other cases refer to consecrated life and two to the diocesan field.

Among the secondary victims (relatives) four went to Repair project of the Archdiocese of Madrid in relation to cases of abuse of authority or conscience.

Those who suffered sexual abuse suffered the experience mostly being minor and in the intrafamily field (32). In this regard, the Archdiocese of Madrid denounces that it is a problem that “is not receiving enough attention from public administrations.”

In addition, he points out that “most of these cases served are related to abuses occurred decades ago, which shows the need for continuous support and repair spaces, since it is evident that, although the crimes prescribe, the impact of the abuse remains present in the victims.”

On the other hand, cases of sexual abuse in the diocesan field attended have raised to 23, the highest figure since 2020, of which the majority correspond to cases that occurred in the archdiocese of Madrid (14). There have also been eight cases in the field of consecrated life, four in charge of lay people, three in charge of an individual and two in the bosom of ecclesial movements and realities.

7 keys to victims in 2024

The repair project has identified seven keys referring to the data corresponding to 2024:

1. There is a decrease in minor victims of abuse in the current ecclesial environment.

2. Domestic sexual abuse remains a hidden problem.

3. The abuse of power and conscience constitutes a facilitator of sexual abuse.

4. There is concern about the increase in abuse of power and awareness in ecclesial environments.

5. It is important to address sexual abuses among adults, which occur in power asymmetry contexts.

6. There is an increase in legal consultations and a reduction in complaint time since the case is verbalized.

7. They begin to detect “abuse maps” with repetitive patterns in some ecclesial realities.

Since its implementation in 2020, the Repair project From the Archdiocese of Madrid has attended a total of 503 victims, of which 422 are direct. Of these, 339 suffered from sexual abuse and 83 abuses of authority and conscience.

Secondary victims attended in the last five years amount to 81, while they have also worked with half a dozen perpetrators.

The name of Repair project It is an acronym that refers to: reknowledge, pRevelation, aTENTION AND rEPARATION TO VICTIMS OF abuses.