We pay so much attention to all the catholic priests that abuse young children that we often forget that they aren’t the only creepy group of religious weirdos. More and more, stories of abuse at the hands of nuns are coming out, encouraged by all of the outpouring of support that others had received due to the #MeToo movement.

For a long time, even the support group that had sprung up to support victims, SNAP, which stood for “Survivor Network of those Abused by Priests, only mentions the male abusers. Women often being considered caregivers, and of their  stature in society is a perfect double act for those wishing to escape scrutiny.

Stories of abuse by priests are gruesome, but there is something particularly twisted about the way female abusers try to create “love” narratives that I have not heard before. It adds a whole other dimension. Not only are these victims sexual lives ruined, but that foundational element of loving a partner is also tainted.

“It was abuse. I interpreted it as love,” she said of the sexual relationship she had as a student with a Catholic school teacher, who later joined a religious order.
As a teenager, she spent much of her free time with her teacher. Their bond was so noticeable that a yearbook entry from a friend called her the woman’s “companion.”
“The nun brainwashed me into thinking we were head over heels in love,” she said. “God’s love, that’s why no one else could know about it — it was so special.”

Now I’d like to tell you that the perpetrators have all been punished and that the victims were financially compensated. Well, I’d like to, but I can’t. I’m sure by now you’re familiar with how this kind of thing goes. The statues of limitation had all experienced, thanks to the tireless work of religious organizations that pushed for these laws in the first place.

The only good news in all of this is that the public has begun to recognize female perpetrators of sexual abuse, and given enough time, enough awareness could be raised that it won’t only be priests that have a sullied name. Let’s just take the time to acknowledge that regardless of gender, when anyone works for a religious organization, leaving your kids with them is like asking Hannibal Lecter to babysit your kids.