Prior to this study, there were no scientific dataexamining specific psychological effects of sexualabuse by priests on adults who were victimized aschildren. This study addresses that void. A group of29 males who were abused by a Catholic priest and agroup of 20 males abused by a layperson completed ademographic questionnaire, the Beck DepressionInventory, the Learned Helplessness Scale, theStrength of Religious Faith Scale and thePosttraumatic Check List. Those abused by a priestwere older at the time offirst abuse and did notreport their abuse until a later age, due in part,to the culture of secrecy that kept the clergysexual abuse scandal hidden. Although it had beenhypothesized that those abused by a priest would bemore symptomatic, both groups demonstrated thatthere can be long-term effects of childhood sexualabuse, regardless of perpetrator. Recognizing this,the findings of this study support efforts topromote legislation that abolishes the statute oflimitations in all cases of childhood sexual abuse.