Child sexual abuse in the catholic church: A scoping review of characteristics, prevalence, and explanatory factors

This scoping review examines the academic literature on child sexual abuse (CSA) within the Catholic Church. Although clerical CSA has received significant global attention through media reports and public inquiries, scholarly research remains fragmented across disciplines and regions. This review synthesizes 50 peer-reviewed articles published between 1985 and 2023. Its goals are to trace the evolution of academic interest, identify dominant research themes, and analyze the disciplinary and methodological characteristics of existing studies. Findings indicate a noticeable increase in publications following major scandals in the early 2000s, particularly in North America, Australia, and Western Europe. The literature is dominated by legal, historical, and psychological approaches, with growing attention to victims' experiences and institutional responses. However, key gaps persist—especially regarding international comparisons, the evaluation of prevention policies, and the inclusion of survivor perspectives from non-Western settings. Quantitative and mixed-methods research remains limited, restricting the development of generalizable insights. This review highlights the need for more interdisciplinary and empirically grounded work, incorporating criminological, sociological, and public health perspectives. By providing a comprehensive synthesis of current academic knowledge, it helps define future research priorities and encourages more systematic, inclusive, and globally informed approaches to institutional CSA in religious contexts. • First scoping review of empirical studies on clerical CSA worldwide • Reviews victim, offender, and abuse characteristics in Catholic contexts • Compares prevalence estimates and methodological approaches • Examines organizational and cultural factors enabling CSA • Identifies gaps and priorities for future prevention research