Abuse in ecclesial contexts: dimensions of harm and keys to repair

This study examines the configuration of moral, spiritual, and psychological harm caused by abuse in Catholic ecclesial contexts, and whether it presents distinctive features compared to abuse in other settings, with implications for survivor-centred reparation. Using a qualitative design grounded in trauma-informed and hermeneutical methodologies, eleven published autobiographical narratives were analysed through NVivo-supported thematic coding. The analytical framework draws on Betrayal Trauma Theory, moral injury literature, and contemporary theological ethics of reparation. Findings show that ecclesial abuse is marked by ritualised spiritual manipulation of sexuality, power asymmetries tainted with sacred attributions, and revictimisation through institutional betrayal. These harms are interrelated and intensified by the symbolic nature of the ecclesial context, producing long-term effects such as loss of agency, identity rupture, and community disaffiliation. Survivor narratives express not only trauma but also moral resistance and spiritual disruption, affirming their testimonies as vital epistemological sources for theological-ethical reflection and ecclesial reform.