This article explores the effect of priests’sexual abuse on victimized girls and young women. The data were obtained from in-depth interviews with women who were seeking help years after the violation. The results revealed the following themes: the loss of innocence, a period of self-blame, the loss of religious faith, immense pressure to maintain silence, recognition of the imbalance of power, and healing through out-side help. The contribution of the principles of restorative justice to victims’healing is described.
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Wormer et al. (2004) studied this question.