WHAT IS RITUAL/SATANIC/SADISTIC ABUSE?As described by survivors, this type of abuse involves an organized form of severe sexual, physical, emotional, and spiritual abuse, often involving numerous perpetrators and numerous victims. Often a delineation is made between Satanic, Sadistic, and Ritual Abuse. Ritual Abuse may be defined as abuse which occurs frequently, regularly, and/or in a formalized or systematic manner and often within the context of a "family." Satanic Abuse generally involves some form of devil worship and/or abuse with religious overtones. Sadistic Abuse usually involves some form of physical torture and the perpetrator enjoys inflicting pain on the victim. Groups who perform ritual abuse use their ideology to justify the abuse, and abuse is used to teach the groups ideology. Any ideology can be twisted or adapted to abusive ends.
HOW OFTEN DOES IT OCCUR?
To date, no studies exist documenting the rate of occurrence of ritual/satanic/sadistic abuse. Yet, more and more survivors are speaking out and service providers are documenting a number of clients with such histories. Some of the difficulty in assessing the rate of occurrence stems from the difficulty in tracking the groups. Also, due to the severity of abuse, many survivors repress the memories for many, many years - or may never remember. What we do know is that ritual/satanic/sadistic abuse is not as uncommon as we once thought and satanic abuse has received the most attention (or is the most common form of ritual abuse).
WHAT IS THE IMPACT ON THE VICTIM?
There are severe psychological symptoms of child victims and adult survivors, one of the most serious being multiple personality disorder. Ritually abused children may act out what has been done to them by harming other children or animals, committing self-mutilation, and chanting. Ritually abused children are usually abused more often than other sexual abuse victims, and their abuse includes elements of physical torture and psychological manipulation and control. Ritually abused children are often led to believe they are evil, or are forced to abuse other children, which incriminates them in the abuse. Ritually abused children may feel guilty, and fear the police and other authority figures. If their families are involved in the abuse, they may be isolated from people not involved in the abuse.
WHO IS INVOLVED?
People who are involved in these activities are often connected with a social group which serves as a cover. These include fraternal organizations, preschool and school groups, and churches. Additionally, ritual/satanic/sadistic abuse has been suspected in organized groups such as the military, law enforcement agencies, counseling centers and medical groups. Perpetrators have been classified as: Family or Trans-generational, these are groups that can go back for many generations; Extra-familiar, adults who abuse non-related children; Ad-hoc groups, consist of adults who may have been abused as children, form own ideology and rituals, often are composed of teens.
WHAT TYPES OF ACTIVITIES ARE INVOLVED?
Brainwashing and Mind Control
Cutting and Scarring
Satanic Worship
Witnessing and Receiving Physical Abuse
Sexual Abuse
Prostitution
Child Pornography
Drug Use
Witnessing and Participating in Human Adult and Infant Sacrifice
Being Buried Alive in Coffins or Graves
Witnessing and Participating in Animal Mutilation and Killings
Cannibalism
Marriage to Satan
Forced Impregnation
Sources: 1) "Patients Reporting Ritual Abuse in Childhood: A Clinical Syndrome." by Dr. Walter Young, International Journal of Child Abuse and Neglect, Vol. 1, 1991. 2) Ritual Abuse Project, University of Colorado at Boulder. 3) Sexual Violence Facts and Statistics, Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault, 1993.
This information sheet was revised in 1996 by the Wisconsin Coalition Against Sexual Assault (WCASA). WCASA is a membership organization of rape crisis centers and other organizations and individuals throughout Wisconsin who are working to end sexual violence. For information sheets on additional topics or for membership information, contact WCASA, 123 E. Main St., Madison, WI 53703, (608) 257-1516. For more information about sexual assault or to receive support around a sexual assault experience, contact your local rape crisis program. This sheet may be reproduced.
