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Mothers’ Experiences with Pastoral Care in Cases of Child Sexual Abuse

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Abstract

This article reports on case study research with four mothers who asked for help from their pastors when they learned, or had reason to believe, that their husbands had sexually abused children in their families. In their own words, mothers gave accounts of how the pastors responded. Some were helpful and knowledgeable, some appeared bewildered, and others were hostile and blaming toward the women. This article will sensitize pastors and other pastoral counselors to issues that child sexual abuse raises. In addition, the research responds to Mahoney’s (J Marriage Fam 72:805–827, 2010) observations about the scarcity of knowledge on whether religion helps or harms families during times of stress.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Social Work, University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, 1404 Gorter Avenue, St. Paul, MN, 55108, USA

    Jane F. Gilgun

  2. Department of Social Work, University of Minnesota, 220 Bohannon Hall, 1207 Ordean Court, Duluth, MN, 55812, USA

    Gwendolyn Anderson

Authors
  1. Jane F. Gilgun
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  2. Gwendolyn Anderson
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Correspondence to Jane F. Gilgun.

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Gilgun, J.F., Anderson, G. Mothers’ Experiences with Pastoral Care in Cases of Child Sexual Abuse. J Relig Health 55, 680–694 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-015-0092-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10943-015-0092-8

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