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Satanic panic

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Satanic ritual abuse (abbreviated SRA) refers to reports of physical and sexual abuse of individuals (generally children) in the context of Satanic rituals. Allegations of SRA first appeared in the early 1980s, arising mainly in the United States and United Kingdom and to a lesser extent other parts of the world. The definitions and extent of SRA are controversial as the reports of it are based mostly on testimonials and recovered memories. SRA has been described as a moral panic and compared to the witch-hunts of historical Europe [1] blood libel, and McCarthyism in 20th-century America.[2][3][4][5] Allegations of and treatment for SRA has been linked to dissociative identity disorder. SRA impacted how legal, therapeutic and social work professions dealt with allegations of abuse.

History

The phrase "satanic ritual abuse" first arose in the mid-1980s to describe the disclosures of some children in child protection cases, and some adults in psychotherapy. In the early 1980s there was an exponential increase in child protection investigations in America, Britain and other developed countries due to mandatory reporting laws and increased public awareness of child abuse. In a small number of investigations, children disclosed alleged organised and ritualistic forms of sexual abuse by parents and caregivers,[6][7] claims also made by adults in psychotherapy.[8][9] These disclosures included descriptions of sexual abuse in the context of Satanic cults, rituals and the use of Satanic iconography, garnering the label "satanic ritual abuse" in the media and some professionals. Clinicians, psychotherapists and social workers have documented clients who describe a history of SRA[10][11] and a body of literature on the treatment of ritually abused patients, much of which focuses on dissociative disorders, has emerged.[12][13]

The first claim known to link Satanism with ritualistic child abuse was made in the "survivor" story, Michelle Remembers, published in 1980, written by Michelle Smith and her psychiatrist (and later husband) Lawrence Pazder.[14] The book, along with other survivor stories, are suspected to have influenced later allegations of SRA and the book was used by prosecutors and police while preparing cases of day care sexual abuse. Smith and other survivors also met with parents involved in the McMartin preschool trial and it is believed that Smith influenced testimony against the accused.[15] Investigations of the events discussed in the book revealed inconsistencies and contradictory facts which challenge the book's accuracy.[16] Skeptics have argued that Michelle Remembers is largely responsible for the "epidemic" of SRA allegations,[17][18] though sociologists[19][20] have noted similarities between SRA and stories of blood libel throughout history. For David Frankfurter, the SRA panic repeated many of the ancient features of conspiracy theory panics.[21]

Evidence for the existence of SRA generally takes the form of testimony by individuals making allegations.[22][23] Therapists cite the pain expressed and the internal consistency of their patients' stories, as well as the similarity of allegations by different patients in geographically separate areas as evidence for the reality of the stories; despite this, the disclosures of patients have never resulted in the discovery of body parts or missing persons that would corroborate the allegations.[24] In one analysis of 36 court cases involving ritual sex abuse of children, only one quarter resulted in convictions and the convictions had little to do with ritual sex abuse.[25] By the early 1990s, the phrase "satanic ritual abuse" was featured in media coverage of ritualistic abuse but its use decreased among professionals in favour of more nuanced terms such as "multi-dimensional child sex rings"[26] "ritual/ritualistic",[27] "organised"[28] or "sadistic" abuse,[10] that acknowledged the complexity of abuse cases with multiple perpetrators and victims without projecting a religious framework onto perpetrators. The issue is further obscured by reports of "pseudo-satanists" who do not believe in the rituals, but use the trappings to coerce and terrify victims.[22][29] In a 1994 survey of more than 11,000 psychiatric and police workers throughout the US, conducted for the National Center on Child Abuse and Neglect, researchers investigated approximately 12,000 accusations of group cult sexual abuse based on satanic ritual. The survey found no substantiated reports of well-organized satanic rings of people who sexually abuse children, but they did find "convincing evidence of lone perpetrators or couples who say they are involved with Satan or use the claim to intimidate victims." [30]

Research

Research in Australia and Britain suggests that between a third and a quarter of psychotherapists, social workers and counselors have encountered at least one client who discloses allegations of ritualistic abuse.[31][32][33] These findings are supported by a comprehensive survey undertaken in America in 1996 in which a minority of psychologist members of the American Psychological Association who responded had encountered at least one client telling of "ritualistic or religion-related" abuse, and the majority believed their clients.[34] Over 12 000 cases of clients with a history of organised and ritualistic abuse were reported by respondents; however, where the survey asked respondents to detail empirical or corroborating evidence for such histories, the researchers felt that there was insufficient basis to conclude that these histories were based on factual events.[34]

A British study found that of 29% of the 211 cases of organised child sexual abuse reported to researchers by police, social and welfare agencies from the period of 1988 to 1991 were designated "ritual abuse" cases by respondents.[35] Another British survey in 1994 found an average of 21 out of 242 abuse cases investigated per year in England and Wales involved involved ritual or satanic abuse. In the ritual abuse cases the rituals were found to be secondary to the sexual abuse. In cases involving satanic abuse, the satanic allegations by younger children were influenced by adults, and the concerns over the satanic aspects were found to be compelling due to cultural attraction of the concept, but distracting from the actual harm caused to the abuse victims.[36]

In a 1995 report by the Department of Justice in Canada, ritual abuse is described as "severe physical, sexual, psychological and spiritual abuse used systematically with symbols, ceremonies and/or group activities that have a religious, magical or supernatural connotation." The report indicates that victims of ritual abuse are often afraid to report the incidents, and that often their reports are not believed. [37]

An estimated 93% of therapists working with alleged ritual abuse survivors in the early and mid 1990's believed that ritual abuse occurs.[38] Studies have shown a connection between dissociative identity disorder and SRA, and some psychologists describe ritualistic abuse in substantiated cases of day care sexual abuse.[39][38][40][41] Some of this research has, in turn, been criticized for an overly liberal definition of what constitutes a "substantiated" case of ritual abuse.[42] In day-care settings, a satanic overtone was often associated with ritual abuse, and ritual abuse coupled with sexual abuse was found to be the most devastating.[40] These effects were found not to be temporary and multiple perpetrator abuse was found to be worse.[40] The failure of center staff to report suspicion of abuse by parents of staff was mentioned as a worry by several researchers.[40]

Some theorists, called "apologists", believe that reports of satanic cult abuse either must or could be true and there is some evidence to support this. [43]

Skepticism

There is a diverse body of skeptical literature on SRA. Sociologists and journalists noted the vigorous nature with which some evangelical activists and groups were using claims of SRA to further their religious and political goals.[44] Other commentators suggested that the entire phenomenon may be evidence of a "moral panic" over Satanism and child abuse.[45] Skeptical explanations for allegations of SRA have included an attempt by "radical feminists" to undermine the nuclear family,[46] a backlash against working women,[2] homophobic attacks on gay childcare workers,[47] a universal need to believe in evil,[21] fear of alternative spiritualities[48] "end of the millennium" anxieties,[49] or a transient form of temporal lobe epilepsy.[50]

Skeptics have treated allegations of SRA as "viral agents" or rashes spread through conferences, seminars, books, television programs and court cases, and professionals who believe in SRA.[51] Cases of SRA have been described as “psychogenic syndromes" or "hysterical epidemics",[49] infectious “memetic” agents,[52] symptoms of a “mediasomatic ailment”,[53] or simply the “madness in the air”.[54] In 2006 David Frankfurter, professor of religious studies and history at the University of New Hampshire published an academic study on SRA. He concludes that "No forensic evidence" on SRA "has ever been found".[55] A 1994 review of Victor Jeffery's book, Satanic Panic: Creation of a Contemporary Legend --written at the time when SRA was considered by Jeffery to be a moral panic-- notes that "A 'scare' or 'panic' exists when the magnitude of the concern and agitation is disproportionate relative to the magnitude of the actual threat. Debunking constructionists need to be more explicit on this score, else rare verified instances of 'Satanic crimes' may appear to invalidate their analysis. Satanic 'atrocities' probably exist from time to time." [56]

Kenneth Lanning, an expert in the investigation of child sexual abuse,[57] has stated that child molesters may "use the trappings of Satanism to frighten young victims", but the actual claims for satanic conspiracies and human sacrifices are unrealistic and the allegations themselves were unsubstantiated, difficult to prove or disprove, and call the credibility of the child victims into question. Lanning described what he termed "four dynamics" in common among reported cases of Satanic ritual abuse of children: "multiple young victims, multiple offenders, fear as the controlling tactic, and bizarre or ritualistic activity" and stated that he considers some of what the victims alleged to be either untrue or physically impossible. Lanning suggested possible reasons for reports by adults of events that he considered did not appear to be true include "pathological distortion, traumatic memory, normal childhood fears and fantasies, misperception, and confusion."[29]

One survey in the United States found that of 2709 practicing clinical psychologists, 1908 had no patients reporting SRA, 785 found one to two cases, and sixteen had treated more than one hundred patients reporting SRA,[58] suggesting that a minority of therapists may be "highly predisposed" to see a disturbed clients as suffering from SRA.[59]

Dissociative identity disorder is a diagnosis in the DSM-IV that has been linked to SRA; some skeptics claimed that the increase in DID diagnosis on the 1980s and 1990s and its association with memories of SRA is evidence of malpractice by treating professionals.[60] The reliability of memories of SRA elucidated by clients in treatment for DID has been a point of contention in the popular media and with clinicians, some of whom express ambivalence over the reliability of narratives of SRA patients. Most acknowledge that such a narrative is indicative of serious victimisation and trauma.[61][improper synthesis?]

Court cases

Main article: List of satanic ritual abuse allegations

Elements of Satanist ritual have featured in some ritual abuse allegations of child abuse and such allegations have appeared throughout the world. The failure of many high-profile cases generated worldwide media attention, and came to play a central feature in the growing controversies over child abuse, memory and the law.[62]

During the early 1980s, some courts attempted ad hoc accommodations to address the anxieties of child witnesses in relation to testifying before defendants. Screens or CCTV technology are a common feature of child sexual assault trials today; children in the early 1980s were typically forced into direct visual contact with the accused abuser while in court. SRA allegations in the courts catalyzed a broad agenda of research into the nature of children's testimony and the reliability of their oral evidence in court. The findings of this research are somewhat ambiguous, suggesting that neither children nor adults are immune to suggestive interviewing techniques but even extremely suggestive techniques do not inevitably lead to false reports.[63]

See also

References

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  3. ^ "Satanism: Myth and reality in a contemporary moral panic". Crime, Law and Social Change: 53–75. January, 1992. doi:10.1007/BF00190171. {{cite journal}}: Check date values in: |date= (help); Text "ISSN 0925-4994 (Print) 1573-0751 (Online)" ignored (help); Unknown parameter |Publisher= ignored (|publisher= suggested) (help); Unknown parameter |Volume= ignored (|volume= suggested) (help)Abstract at Sprinerlink
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