Overcoming Silence: Working with Impacted Communities of Church-Based Sexual Abuse 2026-2028
Catholic women religious (also known as nuns and sisters) form an intrinsic part of Catholic Church communities, both historically and today. Across the world, more than 650,000 religious sisters work alongside communities experiencing disadvantage and injustice, contributing cultural, social and financial resources and shaping education, healthcare and social services globally.
Since the 1990s, women religious and advocates have begun to speak about experiences of harm, including sexual abuse. In Australia, little is known about the experiences of women religious of gendered violence. In other countries, the silence around abuse is beginning to shift with researchers and affected communities working together to bring this injustice into public awareness through media and inquiry processes. Early evidence from our work suggests that similar patterns of gendered and sexual violence of religious sisters exist in Australia, yet the conditions to safely share these experiences are only just emerging.
This Overcoming Silence project seeks to build the evidence needed to shift the dominant narrative away from minimisation and toward recognition, accountability and reform. Without this step, the conditions that allow harm to persist will remain unchanged. With it, there is a pathway to meaningful safeguarding, redress and social transformation to a more equitable community.
Key Projects
- Interview Research Project: Investigating Experiences of Sexual Violence among current and ex Catholic Women Religious
- Survey Research Project: Understanding Experiences of Harm Among Current and Ex Catholic Women Religious
For more information regarding existing research and publications please check out our Resource Page.
More information
If you would like more information about this research project and your potential involvement, please contact Dr Kathleen McPhillips (kathleen.mcphillips@newcastle.edu.au) or Dr Tracy McEwan (tracy.mcewan@newcastle.edu.au) from the University of Newcastle’s School of Humanities, Creative Industries and Social Science.
This project is funded by the Germany Australia Joint Co-operation Scheme, the Australian Research Theology Foundation, the Ian and Shirley Norman Foundation and University of Newcastle Matched Funding Scheme in collaboration with the Sisters of St Joseph of the Sacred Heart, the Brigidine Sisters and the Sisters of the Good Shepherd.
This research project has been approved by the University of Newcastle Research Ethics Committee, Reference No: H-2024-0211.
The University of Newcastle acknowledges the traditional custodians of the lands within our footprint areas: Awabakal, Darkinjung, Biripai, Worimi, Wonnarua, and Eora Nations. We also pay respect to the wisdom of our Elders past and present.