YAOUNDÉ, Cameroon – A Catholic priest and psychotherapist who provides protection and treatment for abused children has spoken out about sexual abuse in the Church in Africa, and the silence that goes with it.
In an in-depth interview with Swiss-based justice news outlet, JusticeInfo.net, the coordinator for integrity in ministry for the Society of Missionaries of Africa (White Fathers), Father Stéphane Joulain said that fighting abuse in the Church can’t be a priority for a continent struggling with war, malnutrition, endemic and systemic poverty.
“Combating sexual violence in the Church is not a priority for most African countries,” he said, and lined up a range of factors making it hard for abuse committed by Church officials to be investigated.
“There are several powerful obstacles,” he said.
The first obstacle, according to Joulain, is the perception that the Church in Africa is “a major center of power,” and “a political counterweight in some countries.”
“In many African cultures, clerics are untouchable figures of authority. There’s pressure on victims and families from society itself not to sully the name of the institution, because it defends rights, for example. In some African countries where the Church has a political dimension, any media coverage of sexual crimes involving clerics will be seen as a political attack. As a result, many people don’t say what has happened to them, because they won’t be believed or listened to,” he explained.
“Secondly, in many countries, if a man claims to have been sexually assaulted by a priest, it is very taboo. The man would be accused of being homosexual. African sexual morality is deeply marked by heterosexuality, machismo and patriarchalism. Abusing a child doesn’t fit with this image. To put it simply: it is just not done. And, in fact, it leads to deep denial in entire societies,” the priest said.
Joulain explained further that the extended family structure prevalent in many African countries and the critical respect for elders also makes it harder for abused victims to speak out.
He highlighted the polymorphic and extended nature of the African family structure, contrasting it with the nuclear family commonly found in Europe. He said African children grow up with a strong sense of belonging to a broader family network, which acts as a safety net in times of hardship. This structure instills respect for seniority and authority, but it also suggests that this reverence can sometimes lead to a culture of silence, even in the face of mistreatment by elders.
“In other words, elders are not criticized, even when they are abusive. This adds layers of denial,” he said.
He said the African family structure extends into the realm of religion, with the Church in Africa functioning as a “family of God” which implies that authority, especially that of priests, becomes unquestioned. This reinforces an environment where obedience is prioritized over open dialogue, mirroring broader societal norms of reverence for elders.
The priest also gave geopolitical reasons to explain the culture of silence in the face of abuse in the Church in Africa. He said one reason for the culture of silence is the emergence of “a new pan-Africanism” which he argues has been impacting religious life and the life of the Church.
“I’m thinking of Cardinal [Fridolin] Ambongo’s statements in Kinshasa, for example, to the effect that homosexuality does not exist in Africa. When this same cardinal of the Church, a very close advisor to the Pope, says publicly that he shares values with Vladimir Putin [President of the Russian Federation], we can see that there is this desire to radically sever colonial ties with Europe,” he said.
The reasons as advanced by Joulain align with the thoughts of Father Moses Aondover Iorapuu, Director of Social Communications for Makurdi Diocese in Nigeria.
The priest noted that the difficulty of tackling sexual abuse cases is not limited to the Catholic Church – the society itself is not prepared to affront the issue headlong.
“Sexual abuse cases are found in homes and society, but since Church appears more critical of itself, the majority of people view the church as the harbinger of perfection and moral justice, any stain, even of past sins and misdeeds she is held accountable,” he told Crux.
He argued that many of the cases the Church stands accused of were committed decades ago, and because the Church happens to be held to a higher standard than anyone else, those abuses are presented as “fresh” while other institutions guilty of similar abuses are considered human and therefore not held to the same standards.
“The Church, on the other hand, is seen as extraordinary and superhuman. This way, the world does not understand why she will be stained at all!” Iorapuu said.
Despite the difficulties, the ground seems to be shifting towards more accountability on the part of the Church, according to Joulain.
“I can see that the word is slowly getting out. Six months ago in Nairobi, I had 125 trainers in front of me. Those who spoke up all said ‘yes, abuses exist here.’ It’s already a big change to no longer be in denial,” he told JusticeInfo.net.
Kenya already has a legal framework that deals with abuse cases: The Sexual Offence Act and the Child Protection Act.
The two laws make it mandatory for citizens to report cases of abuse to the relevant authorities. Joulain said priests and other religious are afraid to come forward, “because going to the police in Kenya isn’t necessarily the best solution, you risk ending up in prison yourself because you have filed a report.”
Yet, things are changing. He cited the recent case of the Bishop of Eldoret in Western Kenya who reported one of his priests to the police for allegedly abusing a 10-year-old girl.
“Criminal proceedings are underway. I can see that, little by little, prevention training is bearing fruit,” he said.
