Family Fact: HIV Facts

Family Quote: A Dissent

Family Research Abstract: Unforgivable.

"In a large CDC study, conducted in sexually transmitted disease (STD) clinics in five major U.S. cities, researchers found the rate of new HIV infections among men who have sex with men (MSM) to be nine times higher than among women and heterosexual men. According to other CDC research, a number of factors contribute to high rates of infection among MSM, including psychosocial problems like depression and illicit drug use..."

(Source: "New CDC Studies Shed Light on Factors Underlying High HIV Infection Rates Among Gay and Bisexual Men," United States Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Office of Communication,Division of Media Relations, July 9, 2002; http://www.cdc.gov/od/oc/media/pressrel/r020710.htm.)

"Today's opinion is the product of a Court, which is the product of a law-profession culture, that has largely signed on to the so-called homosexual agenda, by which I mean the agenda promoted by some homosexual activists directed at eliminating the moral opprobrium that has traditionally attached to homosexual conduct.

... It is clear from this that the Court has taken sides in the culture war, departing from its role of assuring, as neutral observer, that the democratic rules of engagement are observed. Many Americans do not want persons who openly engage in homosexual conduct as partners in their business, as scoutmasters for their children, as teachers in their children's schools, or as boarders in their home. They view this as protecting themselves and their families from a lifestyle that they believe to be immoral and destructive. The Court views it as "discrimination" which it is the function of our judgments to deter. So imbued is the Court with the law profession's anti-anti-homosexual culture, that it is seemingly unaware that the attitudes of that culture are not obviously "mainstream"; that in most States what the Court calls "discrimination" against those who engage in homosexual acts is perfectly legal; that proposals to ban such "discrimination" under Title VII have repeatedly been rejected by Congress...that in some cases such "discrimination" is mandated by federal statute, see 10 U. S. C. §654(b)(1) (mandating discharge from the armed forces of any service member who engages in or intends to engage in homosexual acts); and that in some cases such "discrimination" is a constitutional right, see Boy Scouts of America v. Dale, 530 U. S. 640 (2000).

(Source: Justice Antonin Scalia, "Dissent: John Geddes Lawrence and Tyron Garner, Petitioners v. Texas; on writ of certiorari to the court of appeals ofTexas, fourteenth district," June 26, 2003; http://a257.g.akamaitech.net/7/257/2422/26jun20031200/www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/02pdf/02-102.pdf, or http://laws.findlaw.com/us/000/02-102.html.)

The impact of sexual abuse upon victims can hardly be overstated; for those who have survived sexual abuse by a member of the helping professions, the damage done is even more pernicious.  Two Boston-area researchers, one a sociologist, the other a social worker, have examined the impact of sexual abuse by medical and mental health professional, and the clergy on 149 survivors.

While the researchers found similarities between all three groups abused by these professionals ("Loss, emotional turmoil, mistrust, depression, relationship difficulties, and difficult complaint procedures were reported by all three groups..."), those abused by clergy members were remarkable for a number of reasons:  based on reports from the survivors, while medical and mental health practitioners abused a wide variety of patients and clients, it seems that clergy abusers tend to "prey on particularly vulnerable members of congregations."

Furthermore, the three groups of survivors were "remarkably similar in demographic characteristics and childhood experiences, suggesting that any differences in effect could be related to the professional abuse.  The only statistically significant difference was that of sex: 26.3% (N= 10) of clergy survivors were male compared to 9.5% (N= 2) of medical survivors and 6.7% (N = 6) of mental health survivors; X2= 8.723, df= 2, p< .013."  Ultimately, this gives one insight into the nature of the clerical abuse, although, for some unknown reason, the authors of this study seem surprised:  "Clergy abusers were significantly less likely to be heterosexual (64.3% compared to 93.3% of medical and 81.5% of mental health abusers; X2=5.884, df=2, p <.053).  Nearly all the men (94.4%, N=17) were abused by men, which seems atypical" [emphasis added]. 

"[T]he data show that the clients abused in medical contexts experienced the greatest harm, despite the brevity of these relationships.  ...Survivors of abuse by the clergy present a set of issues related to spirituality and their relationship with God."  Regardless of who the sexual abuser is, physician, therapist, or pastor, the survivors suffer all the more at their hands because of their violation of their professional vows and responsibilities.  So, while this exploitation brings a second condemnation upon the abusers' heads, their victims deal with a multiplicity of problems.  The survivors who were abused by physicians and medical personnel often times have difficulty seeking medical treatment-they may lose their health; those abused by therapists may never be able to confide in another-they may lose their mental well-being; those abused by the clergy often lose their faith-not only in the clergy; they may lose their God.

(Estelle Disch and Nancy Avery, "Sex in the Consulting Room, the Examining Room, and the Sacristy: Survivors of Sexual Abuse by Professionals," American Journal of Orthopsychiatry, vol. 71, no. 2 [April 2001], p. 204-219.)