Until the latter part of the twentieth century, many forms of abuse were never recognized in our society. Unfortunately many children and adults suffered greatly as they waited for scientific studies and advocates to prove what they already knew existed. Domestic violence and sexual abuse is real. In recent years there has been growing concerns about another form of abuse: satanic or ritual abuse.
Some people believe it's fear mongering and others state that the stories are so bizarre that the claim is not to be believed. Many police forces and psychiatrists across the United States and Canada are taking ritual abuse seriously. The Cincinnati Enquirer reported in March 2002 that Detective J.B. Chase of the Middletown Police Department educates new police recruits in several states about Satanism, cults and deviant behaviours associated with these beliefs. Many states have taken this form of abuse very serious and have passed laws making ritual abuse illegal.
What is Ritual Abuse?
Satanic ritual abuse is repeated physical, emotional, mental and sexual assaults against a child, adult or animal. The belief behind the abuse is to fulfill a prescribed ritual involving worship of Satan.
In a 1992 FBI report titled “Satanic Ritual Abuse” (written by Kenneth V. Lanning), it is recognized that the number of alleged cases over the years has grown with no shortage of victims claiming that there are thousands of offenders abusing and murdering children and adults as part of organized satanic cults.
The physical abuse is severe often including torture and sometimes murder. The sexual abuse is painful, sadistic and humiliating so that the offender gains dominance over the victim. Psychological or mental abuse involves the use of ritual or indoctrination methods such as mind control techniques and mind altering drugs.
Prevalence of Ritual Abuse
This form of abuse is often difficult to confirm. It is a fairly new recognized phenomenon in our society so the prevalence is hard to determine.
In 1987 the Children’s Aid Societies of Ontario reported twelve cases of confirmed satanic cults in a three year period. The R.C.M.P. (Royal Canadian Mounted Police) suspects satanic cults being involved with several child abduction cases in Alberta. Over 100 ritual abuse cases a year are investigated in the United States. Almost every state has investigated some form of satanic activity.
In Martensville, Saskatchewan in the early 1990s, a police investigation heard stories of torture, sexual abuse, and a Devil Church where humans were sacrificed. Regardless of the satanic panic attack that occurred, Travis Sterling was charged and convicted of eight heinous crimes against children.
The Canadian Panel on Violence Against Women reports hearing from women who claim to be victims of ritual abuse. The Panel says, “There is a clear parallel between the longstanding disbelief of sexual abuse survivors and the present disbelief of ritual survivors.”
Are ritual abuse victims in the position where domestic violence and sexual abuse victims were back in the sixties and seventies? Satanic and ritual abuse does exist, but to what degree is unknown. Regardless, when someone claims they are a victim of satanic or ritual abuse it should be believed.
Karen Stephenson - Karen has written for several newspapers and print media in addition to many online publications. She holds a B.A. in English and an ...
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