TYPE 4

what is ritual child abuse ?

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WHAT IS "RITUAL" CHILD ABUSE? F B I Report

I cannot define "ritual child abuse" precisely and prefer not to use the

term. I am frequently forced to use it (as throughout this discussion) so

that people will have some idea what I am discussing. Use of the term,

however, is confusing, misleading, and counterproductive. The newer term

"satanic ritual abuse"

(abbreviated "SRA") is even worse. Certain observations, however, are

important for investigative understanding.Most people today use the term to

refer to abuse of children that is part of some evil spiritual belief system,

which almost by definition must be satanic.

Dr. Lawrence Pazder, co-author of Michelle Remembers, defines "ritualized

abuse of children" as "repeated physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual

assaults combined with a systematic use of symbols and secret ceremonies

designed to turn a child against itself, family, society, and God"

(presentation, Richmond, Va., May 7,1987). He also states that "the sexual

assault has ritualistic meaning and is not for sexual gratification".

This definition may have value for academics, sociologists, and therapists,

but it creates potential problems for law enforcement. Certain acts engaged

in with children (i.e. kissing, touching, appearing naked, etc.) may be

criminal if performed for sexual gratification. If the ritualistic acts were

in fact performed for spiritual indoctrination, potential prosecution can be

jeopardized, particularly if the acts can be defended as constitutionally

protected religious expression. The mutilation of a baby's genitals for

sadistic sexual pleasure is a crime. The circumcision of a baby's genitals

for religious reasons is most likely *not* a crime.

The intent of the acts is important for criminal prosecution.

Not all spiritually motivated ritualistic activity is satanic.

Santeria, witchcraft, voodoo, and most religious cults are not satanism. In

fact, most spiritually- or religiously-based abuse of children has nothing to

do with satanism. Most child abuse that could be termed "ritualistic" by

various definitions is more likely to be physical and psychological rather

than sexual in nature. If a distinction needs to be made between satanic and

nonsatanic child abuse, the indicators for that distinction must be related

to specific satanic symbols, artifacts, or doctrine rather than the mere

presence of any ritualistic element.Not all such ritualistic activity with a

child is a crime. Almost all parents with religious beliefs indoctrinate

their children into that belief system. Is male circumcision for religious

reasons child abuse? Is the religious circumcision of females child abuse?

Does having a child kneel on a hard floor reciting the rosary constitute

child abuse? Does having a child chant a satanic prayer or attend a

black mass constitute child abuse? Does a religious belief in corporal

punishment constitute child abuse? Does group care of children in a commune

or cult constitute child abuse? Does the fact that any acts in question were

performed with parental permission affect the nature of the crime? Many

ritualistic acts, whether satanic or not, are simply not crimes. To open the

Pandora's box of labeling child abuse as "ritualistic" simply because it

involves a spiritual belief system means to apply the definition to all acts

by all spiritual belief systems. The day may come when many in the forefront

of concern about ritual abuse will regret they opened the box.

When a victim describes and investigation corroborates what sounds like

ritualistic activity, several possibilities must be considered. The

ritualistic activity may be part of the excessive religiosity of mentally

disturbed, even psychotic offenders. It may be a misunderstood part of

sexual ritual. The ritualistic activity may be incidental to any real abuse.

The offender may be involved in ritualistic activity with a child and also

may be abusing a child, but one may have little or nothing to do with the

other.

The offender may be deliberately engaging in ritualistic activity with a

child as part of child abuse and exploitation. The motivation, however, may

be not to indoctrinate the child into a belief system, but to lower the

inhibitions of, control, manipulate, and/or confuse the child. In all the

turmoil over this issue, it would be very effective strategy for any child

molester deliberately to introduce ritualistic elements into his crime in

order to confuse the child and therefore the criminal justice system. This

would, however, make the activity M.O. and not ritual.

The ritualistic activity and the child abuse may be integral parts of some

spiritual belief system. In that case the greatest risk is to the children of

the practitioners. But this is true of all cults and religions, not just

satanic cults. A high potential of abuse exists for any children raised in a

group isolated from the mainstream of society, especially if the group has a

charismatic leader whose orders are unquestioned and blindly obeyed by the

members. Sex, money, and power are often the main motivations of the leaders

of such cults.

BLESSED BE