Department of Mental Health Sciences, University College London, UK.
Transcult Psychiatry. 2013 Feb;50(1):21-46. doi: 10.1177/1363461512467769. Epub 2013 Jan 7.
The psychological consequences of sexual abuse are generally serious and enduring, particularly when the perpetrator is known and trusted by the survivor. This paper explores the experiences of five contemplative nuns who were sexually abused by priests and the spiritual journeys that followed. In the context of an ethnographic study of contemplative practice, participant observation and in-depth interviews were used to examine the ways that the nuns sought to make sense of their experiences through a long process of solitary introspection. The pursuit of meaning was shaped by religious beliefs relating to forgiveness, sacrifice, and salvation. Thus, trauma was transformed into a symbolic religious narrative that shaped their sense of identity. They were able to restructure core beliefs and to manage their current relationships with priests more securely. They described regaining their spiritual well-being in ways that suggest a form of posttraumatic spiritual growth. We conclude by discussing the findings in the light of the existing literature on the interaction of trauma and spirituality.
性虐待的心理后果通常是严重且持久的，尤其是当施虐者是幸存者认识和信任的人时。本文探讨了五名沉思修女的经历，她们曾被牧师性虐待，以及随后的精神之旅。在对沉思实践进行民族志研究的背景下，采用参与观察和深入访谈的方法，考察了修女们如何通过长时间的孤独内省来理解自己的经历。对意义的追求受到与宽恕、牺牲和救赎有关的宗教信仰的影响。因此，创伤被转化为一种象征性的宗教叙事，塑造了她们的身份认同。她们能够重构核心信仰，并更安全地处理与牧师的当前关系。她们描述了以一种暗示创伤后精神成长形式的方式重新获得精神健康。我们最后根据现有关于创伤和灵性相互作用的文献讨论了这些发现。
