| re Note 1170.3 by CSC32::J_CHRISTIE:
> Actually, I saw a good portion of the program last night. And from
> what I saw of it, it is more an indictment against a few manipulative
> psychiatric professionals.
Yes, this program wasn't an investigation of satanism, rather
it covered the work of two psychiatric hospitals and their
treatment of multiple personality disorder in two families by
blaming it on satanic ritual and then coercing information
from the patients. The only "evidence" of satanic ritual
abuse was the patients' original mental problems plus
confessions extracted after extreme interrogation techniques.
The only connection made to anything Christian was a brief
excerpt from a sermon warning the congregation of the
activities of satanists. It was never clear exactly what the
psychiatrists believed and what their motives may have been
(although it was pointed out that most such patients have a
lot of medical insurance).
This certainly couldn't be considered an investigation into
whether satanism, in general, exists.
Bob
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| CHILDHOOD RITUAL ABUSE STUDIES
Makeup of the largest US Study
A massive study of ritualistic child abuse was completed in the fall of
1994. It was funded by the US Federal Government's National Centre on
Child Abuse and Neglect.
They obtained responses from over 6900 clinicians (psychiatrists,
clinical psychologists, and social workers); and from over 4600
agencies (county District Attorneys, Departments of Social Services and
municipal Law Enforcement agencies).
They uncovered over 12,000 cases of suspected ritual abuse. But when
they looked for cases that they could say with some confidence actually
exhibited evidence of abuse, they found only one.
Results of the largest US Study
Some of their findings include:
12,264 cases of suspected SRA were found. 69% of clinicians reported
no cases; most of the rest reported 1 or 2; 1.4% of the clinicians
reported over 100 cases each. the vast majority of clinicians believe
their clients to be telling the truth about real events. 77% of the
agencies reported no cases; most of the rest reported 1 or 2; 2.2% of
the agencies reported over 100 cases each The vast majority of
agencies believe their clients to be telling the truth about real
events Only 1 of the 12,264 suspected cases could confidently be
accepted as real abuse This involved a 16 year old male whose parents
were Satanists. He took part in rituals which sometimes involved sexual
activity. He was an observer, victim and perpetrator. child victims'
stories do not agree with adult survivor memories: child victims report
scary activities (e.g. being put in a coffin and lowered into a grave);
adult survivors talk of child memories of horrendous activities (e.g.
including the killing of infants, cannibalism, drinking blood, the most
extreme torture and mutilation, etc). Little or no physical evidence
found; usually scars that could have been self inflicted. No child
pornography involving Satanic themes has ever been discovered in US.
No evidence of Generational Satanists exists. No evidence exists of
bizarre and horrible Satanic ritual abuse scenarios which regularly
occurred in many repressed memory cases among adults. No unequivocal
evidence of large scale, well organized Satanic cults exists. A major
problem was uncovered of Christian based child abuse: Beating the devil
out of the child during exorcisms, Excessive child discipline
("sparing the rod spoils the child") Depriving children of medical
help in favour of prayer.
This Problem appears to be concentrated among a very few members of
conservative Christian churches. Young children were found to have
little precise knowledge of Satanic symbols and rituals. A very small
percentage of the therapists and a very small percentage of the
agencies reported essentially all of the cases of non-Christian ritual
abuse. The study organizers speculate that these therapists and
agencies may be creating memories of childhood abuse due to their
therapy and interview techniques.
Other Studies
Recent studies were also made by the Governments of Virginia, Great
Britain and the Netherlands. Although not as extensive as the US
Federal study described above, they all reached the same conclusion
that Satanic/Sadistic ritual abuse does not exist as a significant
problem in their areas.
The FBI Behavioral Sciences laboratory is the main law enforcement
group in the United States specializing in SRA. They have been called
in by local police forces in hundreds of cases of suspected SRA.
Although they have found many cases involved sexual and physical abuse
of children, none involved ritual abuse by non-Christian groups.
Reports of Studies
1.Clearing House on Child Abuse & Neglect Information, Characteristics
& Sources of Allegations of Ritual Child Abuse, Suite 350, 3998 Fair
Ridge Dr., Fairfax VA, 22033, $20 US. Issued 1994-Fall. Free summary
available by calling (703) 385-7565. 2.Prof. J.S. Lafontaine,
Department of Health, Extent & Nature of Organized Ritual Abuse, ISBN
011 11 321797 8; 1994-May. Available from Unipub, 4611-F Assembly
Drive, Lanham MD 20706, for USF$ 11.49 (English Government study)
3.Minister of Justice, Report of the Ritual Abuse Work Group, 1994-Apr,
PO Box 20301, 2500EH, The Hague, Netherlands (In Dutch. Found that
ritual abuse exists only in the mind; it has no basis in fact.)
4.Crime Commission Task Force Studying Ritual Criminal Activity, Final
Report of the Task Force Studying Ritual Crime (Richmond, VA; 1991)
5.State Task force Finds No Major Cult Activity, Richmond New Leader,
Aug. 15, 1991.
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I do not personally believe that Satanism is an official 'religion', if
you will, nor do I know if the father who submitted his two children to
such ritual abuse indeed belongs to a(n inter)nationally organizated
satanic cult of some kind (though I can certainly ask their mother,
which I may do, though it's difficult for her to talk about for obvious
reasons). I do know that the father did not do this alone, but that he
was with a small group of people doing the same thing. Beyond this, I
have very few details, at least at this time.
I think of satanic (with no capital 'S') ritual abuse as more of a
deliberate perversion on the Christian services and rituals with the
intent to do evil and harm, whereas I think of just simply ritual
abuse as using certain rituals without bringing the symbols of
Christianity into the picture.
Cindy
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