Sexual abuse by definition in Kansas is sexual contact with someone who has not given their consent or who is incapable of doing so. The age of consent in Kansas is 16, meaning anyone less than 16 years old cannot lawfully consent to sexual activity. Priest sexual abuse specifically refers to sexual assault, violence, rape or other sex crimes committed by an ordained minister of the Catholic, Orthodox or Anglican Church. Priest sexual abuse can also refer more broadly to abuse by any religious leader authorized to perform sacred rituals.
Common examples of priest sexual abuse include:
Unwanted kissing or hugging
Sexual touching or fondling
Touching of a child’s private parts or a female’s breasts
Oral sex or penetration of any kind
Rape, statutory rape or attempted rape
Child pornography
Priests may use their positions of trust and power within a church to take advantage of its members for the purpose of sexual arousal or gratification. Priests and religious leaders may groom children from a young age for sexual abuse, such as by convincing parents to make a child an altar server or assistant so that the priest can get closer to the youth and have unsupervised access. Priest sexual abuse often affects young children, although victims of sex crimes can be of any age and gender.