religious violence clerical violence spiritual violence Occurs when a person in religious authority or a person with a unique spiritual practice misleads and maltreats another person in the name of some god or supernatural being or in the mystery of any spiritual concept. Spiritual abuse often refers to an abuser using spiritual or religious rank in taking advantage of the victim's spirituality (mentality and passion on spiritual matters) by putting the victim in a state of unquestioning obedience to an abusive authority. spiritual abuse