Excerpt from Sexual Abuse in Christian Homes and Churches
From "Sexual Abuse in Christian Homes and Churches", by Carolyn
Holderread Heggen, Herald Press, Scotdale, PA, 1993 p. 73:
"A disturbing fact continues to surface in sex abuse research. The
first best predictor of abuse is alcohol or drug addiction in the
father. But the second best predictor is conservative religiosity,
accompanied by parental belief in traditional male-female roles.
This means that if you want to know which children are most likely
to be sexually abused by their father, the second most significant
clue is *whether or not the parents belong to a conservative
religious group with traditional role beliefs and rigid sexual
attitudes*. (Brown and Bohn, 1989; Finkelhor, 1986; Fortune, 1983;
Goldstein et al, 1973; Van Leeuwen, 1990). (emphasis in original)
References:
Brown, J.C and C.R. Bohn (eds) 1989 "Christianity, Patriarchy, and
Abuse" New York, Pilgrim Press.
Finkelhor, D. 1986. A Sourcebook on Child Sexual Abuse. Newbury
Park, CA: Sage Publications.
Fortune, M.M. 1983. Sexual Violence: The Unmentionable Sin. New
York, Pilgrim Press.
Goldstein, M.J, et al 1973. Pornography and Sexual Deviance. Los
Angeles, University of California Press.
Van Leeuwen, M.S. 1990. Gender and Grace: Love, Work, and
Parenting in a Changing World. Downers Grove, Il. InterVarsity
Press.
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author of How Little We Knew: Collusion and Confusion with Sexual Misconduct
and The Truth about Malarkey.