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Gillotte, Sylvia Lynn., Esq. "Ritualistic Child Abuse." 1996. BTC Newsletter, Volume XIII, Issue III, Fall.

(11 pages)

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DEFINITION AND COMMON ELEMENTS

Ritual abuse is an extremely sadistic form of child abuse and neglect. Although accounts of such abuse date back several centuries (1). It is a phenomenon which has only recently been widely publicized and recognized. Modern revelations concerning the existence of ritual abuse have coincided with our increased awareness of child abuse in general, and the recognition of multiple personality and dissociative disorders by the medical and therapeutic communities.

Because of the nature of the abuse, the diversity of the perpetrators, and the many manifestations which "ritual crime" can take, defining ritual abuse is not an easy task and has been the subject of controversy. (2) A report by the Los Angeles Country Commission for Women, Ritual Abuse Task Force, defined it as "...a brutal form of abuse...consisting of physical, sexual, and psychological abuse, and involved in the use of rituals." (3) It is perhaps more helpful to move beyond definitions, and to identify some common elements which distinguish ritual abuse from other forms of child abuse. Generally, most cases involved ritualistic child abuse include the following elements:

1. Multiple victims.

2. Multiple perpetrators.

3. The use of ritual in connection with:

a. Severe physical abuse and deprivation, and

b. Sadistic and painful sexual abuse

4. The use of drugs and/or mind control techniques for the purpose of indoctrination, domination, and as a deterrent to disclosure.

GENERAL CATEGORIES

As this Resource Manual focuses on the representation of children in family court, it is important to distinguish the terms, "ritual abuse" and "ritual crime." Ritual crime is a criminal activity which includes the use of ritual symbols and/or paraphernalia, but does not necessarily involved the abuse of children. Ritual child abuse, on the other hand, could be a sub-category of ritual crime, the focus of which is the deliberate exploitation, programming, and abuse of children. Participants in ritual crime may act individually, but usually operate in a group setting. Most groups, also referred to as cults, could be said to fall into one of several generally recognized categories:

1. Dabbler

2. Self--styled

3. Organized Cults

Individuals who fall into the first two categories above -- "dabbler and "self-styled" -- are rarely the subject of a family court action and are therefore not the focus of this article. In family court, you will most likely be dealing with individuals from category three: specifically, organized cults who are trans-generational in nature. It is helpful, however, to understand some distinctions between the various categories.

As a general rule, "dabblers" are young adults who, either in group or alone, "dabble" in the use of ritual symbols in connection with certain crimes such as trespassing, theft, vandalism, the defacing of property, and sometimes animal mutilations and sacrifice. These young people may or may not be drawn into the more criminal level of activity engaged in by others. Groups of individuals that fall into the "self-styled" category are generally more organized, visibly operate as a unit, and may openly recruit new members. Their criminal activity is far more serious and sadistic and can include kidnapping, rape murder, and torture; however, their victims are usually adults rather than children. Certain gangs, neo-Nazis groups, and biker groups could be said to fall into this category. One of the most notorious "self-styled" cult leaders was Charles Manson.

Those in the "dabbler" or "self-styled" categories almost always leave behind evidence of their criminal activity. In fact, the crime is often intended to make a "statement" to the authorities or society. There is no attempt to cover up the crime -- only the clues which might lead to the conviction of a specific individual or group. Because there is usually evidence on which to base an investigation, prosecutions of ritual crime in the United States and elsewhere have involved these first two categories.

"Organized cults," (4) on the other hand, are highly secretive and go to extraordinary lengths to hide their criminal activity. The size and location of an organized cult may vary considerably, ranging from a few members in one general location, to hundreds of members located in different parts of the world. By necessity, the larger the group, the more organized and dangerous the cult.

Though organized cults may or may not be "trans-generational" in nature, (5) their criminal activity always involves the abuse of children. Whether motivated by religious belief, sexual desire, or power, cults function to provide access to children and protection from criminal prosecution. In essence, they are organized groups of adults who use ritual, drugs, and sophisticated mind control techniques in the perpetuation of very sadistic physical and sexual abuse on children. However, "it is the use of mind control techniques to program, dominate, and indoctrinate victims which most distinguishes ritual abuse from other forms of child abuse," even those which might otherwise be considered sadistic in nature.

It is important to note that organized cults often fund themselves by engaging in a wide rage of criminal activity that may or may not be connected to their abuse of children. For example, in a study of ritual abuse conducted by the University of Colorado at Boulder, 70% of the survivors surveyed related being forced to participate in child pornography. An additional 58% were used in child prostitution, while 9% were used in the trafficking of drugs. (6) Other money-making activities by cults have included insurance and computer fraud, the trafficking of children and weapons, and the use of blackmail.

While members of some cults may have been criminally prosecuted for their involvement in some form of criminal activity, their connection to ritual child abuse has rarely been exposed. Because of their tight-knit structure and the inability of law enforcement to infiltrate their ranks, these groups have operated for centuries with virtual impunity. It is only within the last two and a half decades that information concerning these groups has become public. This is largely due to the fact that survivors, feeling more optimistic about society’s response to their disclosures, have come forward in greater numbers.

In spite of continuing disbelief, allegations of ritual abuse continue to be reported by children and assaults in every state in this country, as well as other countries across the globe. Despite differences in the locations and ages of victims, the information revealed is strikingly similar and the experiences related parallel one another. If we are to continue to deny the existence of ritual abuse in light of these disclosures, then we must believe in an international conspiracy between alleged victims who are strangers to one another.

Over the past twelve years, there have been hundreds of day care cases across the United States which involved allegations of ritual child abuse. In fact, the discovery and successful prosecution of a number of these cases has done much to expose cult activity and increase our awareness. While day care cases may ultimately be the "Achilles’ heel" of organized cults who desire to expand their power and influence, there is nonetheless tremendous reluctance on the part of most victims to come forward. This is primarily due to the response of the media and the general public.

Along with the very real fear of reprisal or death associated with the disclosure, adult survivors of ritual abuse who come forward face not only a climate of disbelief, but a lack of support services as well. Having endured the unspeakable horrors of ritual abuse, they fact further victimization by an entire system in denial. (7) Sadly, they most need the services and support which our system purports to offer.

We face a serious challenge: How can we possibly help the children who come forward if we are reluctant to believe the adults who disclose? To the average person, ritual abuse is such an extreme and brutal form of abuse that it is difficult, if not impossible, to believe. Because the human psyche does not want to believe that such abuse is possible, the mind will be drawn to every reason supporting its denial.

Denial prevents us from providing meaningful help to thousands of victims, the most vulnerable of whom are children. Thus, in order to address this problem at all levels within the system, we much move beyond denial by trying to understand the dynamics of ritual child abuse. (8) For most of us, this requires a major paradigm shift. The following section discusses several myths associated with ritual child abuse, and the realities underlying this phenomenon.

MYTHS AND REALITIES CONCERNING RITUAL CHILD ABUSE

MYTH 1: The activities and the abuse described by alleged victims and survivors are too horrendous to be believed. Humanity, in general, is incapable of such organized atrocities.

REALITY: Unfortunately, accounts of child mutilation, infanticide, cannibalism, and the use of blood, feces and urine in ritual ceremonies dates back hundreds of years and can be found in a number of early pagan cultures. (9) The spread of Christianity, Judaism, and other religions into northern Europe did not eliminate there ritual traditions. Many groups continued to practice their earlier beliefs underground, sometimes combing elements to the old and the new. (10) Furthermore, modern history is replete with examples of man’s inhumanity to man, both individually and at an organized level. The Holocaust is a prime example of the execution, brutal torture and treatment of millions of innocent people in the name of ideology and belief. The military and civilian offices who carried out Hitler’s directives could be compared to modern day cult members who must also lead "Jekyll and Hyde" existences. Also, like organized cults, the success of Hitler’s plan was dependent upon absolute secrecy and the ingenious use of controlled propaganda and programming.

MYTH 2: If ritual abuse truly existed, then children and adults exposed to such abuse would come forward and expose the activities of the cult rather than continue to be victimized.

REALITY: Most victims and participants in organized cults are either born into them or recruited at a very young age. In either case, programming and brainwashing begins very early, sometimes even in utero. Programming in systematic and brutal, and is directly at every level or the individual’s awareness, physical, emotional, mental, and spiritual. The use of terror in conjunction with very sophisticated techniques effectively robs the individual of his/her will. The choice of "allegiance to the cult" or "death to self or others" is the number one reality to any cult member or victim and serves as the biggest deterrent to disclosure. Survivors who seek therapeutic help, as well as non-participating individuals who have discovered the involvement of a spouse or other family member, are often mislabeled or misdiagnosed as "hysterical," "paranoid," "histrionic," In fact, their hysteria is based upon a very real danger to themselves and to others.

MYTH #3: No one could possibly live this type of existence day in and day out without disclosing or being discovered.

REALITY: Virtually every individual who survives cult victimization and indoctrination develops an ability to dissociate. Dissociation is the ability to separate oneself from one’s thoughts, feelings, and actions during an overwhelming traumatic or even life-threatening event or experience, (11) This process produces changes in memory, and allows the individual to function as if the trauma had not occurred. In effect, it is the psyche’s way of surviving an otherwise impossible situation while preserving some area of healthy functioning. Repeated dissociation may ultimately result in the development of Multiple Personality Disorder (MPD). With MPD, the birth personality (that identity which was to existence period to the trauma) retreats during the dissociative process and a series of separate, fragmented "personalities" develop to take on specific functions in the outside world. These distinct personalities are usually referred to as "alters" or "components." They can be called into action by the individual, or triggered through programmed response by the cult. (12) Because of the function they serve within the individual’s psyche, most alters are not co-conscious with one another and therefore operate independently within the personality system. (13) Dissociation and MPD are conditions which permit victims of ritual abuse and other severe trauma to function in a contradictory or "Jekyll and Hyde" manner -- exhibiting more "normal" personalities by day, and "ritual" personalities by night. It is impossible to understand ritual abuse without comprehending the roles that dissociation and MPD play in the process. (14) For example, females are often programmed in be "amnesic" about their cult involvement during their child-bearing years, ensuring the cult regular access to any offspring for early indoctrination. (15) Thus, the development of dissociation and MPD are "an intended result" of ritual abuse and are induced through the use of sophisticated mind control techniques involving overwhelming pain, torture, and terror. "Consequently, recognition and proper diagnosis of these conditions by a professional experienced in the treatment of MPD and dissociative disorders is essential." Otherwise, successful investigation and treatment cannot be undertaken.

MYTH 4: If there is no physical or tangible evidence of ritual abuse to support an allegation, then the abuse will not occur.

REALITY: Unfortunately, there will rarely be physical evidence to substantiate allegations of abuse involving trans-generational cults. Unlike criminal investigation involving dabblers and self-styled cultists which might produce ritual paraphernalia or even mutilated victims, trans-generational cults are highly organized and extremely secretive concerning their activities. Ritual sites and ceremonial implements are carefully guarded before, during, and after ritual ceremonies. Since the successful operation of the cult is dependent upon absolute secrecy, thorough and systematic disposal of any and all evidence is routine. It is also often difficult to obtain conclusive medical evidence supportive of a child’s allegations of ritual physical and sexual abuse. (16) Most cults use very sophisticated abuse, torture, and mind control techniques which are difficult to detect. For example, during the abuse and programming of children, cults may use the following: electro-shock; pins and needles which are inserted under the fingernails or into sexual or other orifices of the body; knife cuts and burns into the scalp, onto the soles of the feet, or in the creases of the skin,; as well as injuries designed to be explainable by otherwise acceptable means. [Editor’s Note: This is obviously how the cults get away with most of their torture, even sexual torture, the physical abuse looks accidental OR can be excused as some sort of normal, aging process.] While evidence of sexual abuse may be more apparent with the use of a colposcope (i.e. repeated multiple perpetrator abuse is more likely to leave scarring in the vaginal and anal areas in children), most cults have physicians who treat and effectively cover up evidence of abuse. In addition, it is important to understand that cults prime infants early on for sexual penetration using special instruments designed to stretch the vagina and anus in a gradual, non-traumatic manner. [Editor’s Note: Sexual abuse is therefore, not easily detected by the untrained eye.] It is critical to remember that children who are victims of ritual abuse rarely disclose such abuse until they are far removed from their abusers, both in space and in time. In fact, it is common for children not to reveal the ritual aspects of their abuse until they have been removed from their home for a substantial period of time following more limited allegations of abuse. Such delays further reduce the likelihood of obtaining conclusive medical evidence by way of sexual abuse examination or drug screen. Unfortunately, those uneducated regarding the dynamics of ritual abuse refuse to believe some children as a result of the extreme delay in disclosure and lack of independent medical evidence. Thus, it is important to be aware that children subjected to the degree of pain and torture commonly used by perpetrators or ritual abuse are terrorizing into silence and have a great deal of difficulty relating their abuse.

MYTH 5: If ritual abuse were a reality, then we would find the remains of victims or at least have a record of their existence and disappearance.

REALITY: Organized cults have their own unique methods and systems for disposing of bodies and/or body parts. Many cults either own or have access to a crematorium, and are assisted by cult physicians and/or coroners who cover up the cause of death or their victims. Less sophisticated methods for body disposal which have been used effectively are lime or acid pits, as well as tree shredders. (17) In many cults, members must pledge ultimate allegiance to the cult by offering up their first-born child for sacrifice. This usually occurs during early adolescence, when the young female is impregnated by a cult member during an important ritual. Early labor is often induced by saline injection (e.g. at six months gestation) and the fetus is then offered in a dedication ceremony. Because of the size of the fetus at delivery, pregnancy is rarely suspected by the outside world. Commonly, infant victims who are to be used in sacrificial rites are routinely provided by "breeders" within the cults themselves. As with the first-born babies of cult members, there is never any record of these children’s existence, much less their deaths. Other victims used by cults are the result of baby trafficking, kidnapping, and the seduction of unsuspecting runaway’s and vagrants.

MYTH 6: It is inconceivable that teachers, ministers, doctors, lawyers, judges, policeman, sheriffs, pharmacists, undertakers, etc., would become involved in such cults.

REALITY: It is true that, as a general rule, members of these professions have no inclination to join cults. Occasionally, however, cults do recruit such individuals through the use of deceptive methods and blackmail. For example, cult members might actively engage an individual they feel would be receptive to illegal activity (i.e. drugs, child pornography, group sex, etc.). After enticing him/her to participate in that activity, they would surreptitiously videotape the event. At that point, the public official or professional would be at the mercy of the cult and could be called upon at any time, as needed. The most important thing to remember, however, is that children born into trans-generational cult families are primed and groomed to enter certain professions which are critical to the networking and protection of the cult. Therefore, the professions listed above are among those highly pursued by cult members. The greater the number of prominent members of the community in a cult, the less likely that the cult will ever be discovered; or if discovered, that there will be a successful prosecution.

MYTH 7: If highly organized trans-generational cults have been in existence for hundreds of years, then surely they would have been infiltrated or penetrated by now.

REALITY: The very nature and structure of ritualistic cults prohibit their infiltration. In order for a law enforcement officer or investigator to penetrate a cult, he/she must first earn the trust of group members by engaging in illegal and offensive activity which would include the drinking of blood and urine, the eating of feces, and participation in animal sacrifice at a minimum. Only after repeated tests and trials involving the individual would he/she be permitted to participate in more intimate and heinous rites involving child sexual abuse, mutilation, and sacrifice. The secret of cults has been kept for a very long time and the majority of activities which have been exposed only involved criminal acts related to money-making endeavors. These have included trafficking of children, weapons, narcotics, child pornography, and other crimes such as insurance and computer fraud. The bottomless pit of financial resources to which cults have access also makes them less vulnerable to attack.

MYTH 8: Therapists and other adults are putting these outrageous ideas in the minds of children and making them believe that they have actually experienced these abuses.

REALITY: Unfortunately, the focus of the media following the reports of ritual abuse in day care centers across this country has been to question the veracity and integrity of not only the child victims, but the parents and professionals who are working to protect the children as well. Children who are abused in day care settings react in the same manner as children who have been terrorized into silence as members of trans-generational cults. When a concerned parent or therapist who is dealing with the emotional and psychological aftermath manages to make the child feel safe enough to make a disclosure, the system responds for discounting the allegations on the basis that the disclosure was not made at the onset of the therapeutic process. It is critical to understand that the terror and intimidation used by ritual abuse perpetrators "is designed to be so severe that the children involved will not disclose their victimizations to anyone." Extreme delay in disclosure is the "norm" in cases of ritual abuse, and should never be used to discredit a child’s allegations. As has been very aptly stated by Dr. Catherine Gould, a national expert in the area of ritual child abuse, "..you can abuse a hundred children ritualistically, with all the overlay of terror...and pretty much a hundred children will keep the secret of their abuse until there is some kind of intervention." (18) One cannot buy into the argument that children making these allegations have been brainwashed into relating false statements without somehow supporting the notion that there is an international conspiracy amongst children, parents, therapists and other professionals, to disseminate similar information for some unknown gain. The fact of the matter is that parallel reports of such abuse are surfacing in Westernized countries all over the world, and they are coming from victims of all ages who have no knowledge of one another. Brainwashing and conspiracy are reality in ritual child abuse cases. However, the culprits are most often members of long-standing, organized cults, not the therapists and other professionals who are struggling to assist the ever-increasing number of victims who choose to come forward.

MYTH 9: If any part of a child’s allegations concerning ritual abuse is obviously false or insupportable, then the abuse did not occur.

REALITY: Cult members are extremely intelligent. They understand the legal and judicial process and carefully design their rituals so that children who might disclose "will be discredited." In addition to the use of various drugs which make children more compliant and distort their perceptions of reality, cults have been known to use the following techniques quite effectively:

a. Confinement and isolation, as an effective method of psychologically conditioning, is commonly used by ritual abuse perpetrators. Children often report having been put in a closet or cage with a lion. In reality, these children might have been placed with a large lion-like dog, or human dressed in a lion costume. When this experience is combined with the use of sound effects and hallucinogens, the experience seems very real to the child. This deception method ensures absolute terror and compliance, while at the same time, discrediting the child should there be subsequent disclosures.

b. Children frequently report having been taken by train, boat, submarine or airplane to a specific location to participate in ritual activity. Often they are blindfolded and only told the name of the location after they have arrived. In reality, such transportation may only have been simulated, and a false location given. Or the child may, in fact, have been in a plane which flew in a circle for 20 minutes, with the ultimate destination falsified. In either case, facts are distorted to discredit late disclosures.

c. The use of cartoon characters and hero figures in costume is frequently reported, and is especially effective with very young victims. Children who disclose abuse in these settings are assumed to be dealing with nightmares at a fantasy level.

d. Trans-generational cults have their own additional protective techniques. For example, many of the perpetrators attending a given ritual may, in fact, be prominent members of their community. To deliberately confuse child victims, cult members may introduce other adults who are falsely identified as other well-known public figures. If and when a subsequent disclosure occurs, the innocent "perpetrators" who are named come forward with concrete alibis and are unwittingly used by the cult to discredit any investigation.

MYTH 10: All ritual abuse is Satanic in nature, and all Satanists engage in ritual abuse.

REALITY: While a majority of ritual abuse cases which have been reported by child victims as adult survivors do involve elements normally associated with the worship of Satan, many cases do not. Of those that do, it is unclear how many profess a genuine belief in Satan, and how many profess a genuine belief in Satan, and how many merely used these ritual rites and paraphernalia for their dramatic effect. [Editor’s Note: The difference between Satanic and sadistic ritual abuse is wide. Satanic abuse involves the use of secretive and intentional symbolism along with physical and emotional terroristic assaults, whereas sadism may not include the ritual aspects and may focus more upon emotional terror, not physical - sexual assault. Most professionals judge satanic abuse as the most extreme sort of ritual abuse.] Religious Satanists, both as individuals and as a group, are constitutionally protected in their right to practice their spiritual beliefs. In this country, there are dozens of Satanic churches and organizations which are legally incorporated and formally recognized. These groups claim no involvement in the criminal activity and child abuse which are characteristic of ritual abuse. [Editor’s Note: Of course not, one would not expect any group to be public regarding the criminal acts it engages in...]

MYTH 11: Satanism, witchcraft, the New Age Movement, secret brotherhood societies such as the Masons, are all engaged in ritual abuse and cult activity.

REALITY: Organized cults have been known to function and operate out of any group structure which is convenient for their activities. E.g. because Masons belong to fraternal society which practices secret ritual and which extends membership by invitation, some cults have successfully used them as a cover for their activity. However, few Masons, New Age philosophers, or self-proclaimed witches have any real connection to organized cults and ritual abuse. In fact, the majority of adult survivors of ritual abuse report victimization by cults which were operated out of well-established "mainstream" churches in their communities.

CONCLUSION

Because the dynamics of ritualistic child abuse differ significantly form the dynamics of "ordinary" child abuse, we must understand who these differences should alert out handling of such cases within the legal system. First of all, we must be aware that while consistency in a child’s disclosure of abuse is usually a good indicator of veracity, inconsistency regarding accounts of abuse may be more common in -- and consistent with -- ritualistic child abuse. This is due to the mind control component which is unique to ritual abuse, and the impact of dissociation and multiple personality disorder on disclosure.

Furthermore, while children may report some form of victimization during initial interviews of suspected abuse, the ritual aspects of their abuse may never be disclosed. When children do disclose ritual abuse, the extreme delay in disclosure, coupled with perceived "discrepancies" from original accounts, often results in system disbelief and a failure to further investigate and prosecute additional allegations. Practitioners also need to be aware that medical and physical evidence substantiating ritual child abuse is difficult to obtain, especially in view of the extreme delay in disclosure. While it may be appropriate to request that toxicology tests and a sexual abuse examination be conducted on a child, receipt of negative or non-conclusive results does not negate the child’s allegations. (19) Nor does the fact that some of the specifics of a child’s allegations can be disproved. (See "Myth 4" and "Myth 9" above.) It is thus critical to seek the assistance of professionals with experience in ritual abuse who might shed light on the child’s allegations.

Finally, once an investigation concerning ritual child abuse has commenced, the advocate should not be surprised if prosecution of the charges does not occur. In addition to system denial and evidentiary considerations, "interested" individuals who may be well-placed in the system can and should be expected to intervene. ("Myth 6").

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AUTHOR: Sylvia Lynn Gillotte is Chairman of the Resource Manual Project, Office of the Governor, Guardian Ad Litem Program, Spartanburg, South Carolina. This article was reprinted by permission of the author from "Representing Children in Family Court: A Resource Manual for Attorneys and Guardians Ad Litem, a publication of the South Carolina Bar." Copyright 1993, 1995. The author retains all rights related to this material. Further information about reproduction of this article should be directed to the author through the South Carolina Bar, Continuing Legal Education Division, POB 608, Columbia, South Carolina 29202.

ENDNOTES:

1. For an excellent discussion of historical accounts of ritual child abuse in Europe, see "Believe the Children Newsletter," Vol. IX (1992).

2. Civia Tamatkin, a well-know freelance journalist, has advocated strongly for a modification of out lexicon as it related to ritual (or ritualistic) abuse. Her argument is that the use of the term "ritual" tends to minimize the more commonly recognized elements of the "Sadistic" abuse, and results in a failure on the part of the media, our legal system, and the public to appreciate and address the real problem: the sadistic abuse and exploitation of children by organized perpetrator groups. Furthermore, the term "ritual" usually had a connotation which implies that this activity is religiously related and/or motivated. This is often not the case.

3. The Task Force Report is an excellent reference for virtually any professional who works with children.

4. I make a distinction between "organized cult" and "organized crime," which while also engaged in highly organized and secretive criminal activity, does not have the additional elements of "ritual symbology" and sophisticated "mind control programming."

5. The terms "trans-generational" or "multi-generational" are often used to describe groups who participate in this activity and whose beliefs and practices are passed on, generation after generation. In such groups, the indoctrination of young children begins very early and is critical to the perpetuation of ritual practices which can date back hundreds of years.

6. The results of this study are further discussed in Volume IX of "Believe the Children Newsletter"(1991).

7. The Appendix ("Professional Articles") contains two articles by ritual abuse survivors. Their accounts will help you to understand the psychology devastation these victim’s endure.

8. For an excellent discussion of this issue, see Catherine Gould’s article entitled, "Denying the Ritual Abuse of Children" in the Appendix ("Professional Articles").

9. See "Believe the Children Newsletter," Vol. IX (1992), in the Appendix ("Professional Articles").

10. Many people are not aware of the fact that dates for several Christian holidays are based upon early pagan ceremonial dates. For example, Easter is always scheduled for the first Sunday after the full moon in April. Such scheduling originated as a compromise between early Christian leaders and the conquered pagans of northern Europe.

11. Dissociation is a common response to the trauma of child abuse and is not limited to ritual abuse. When a child is dissociative, he/she exhibits certain behaviors which are identifiable. Beverly James discussed these behaviors in "The Dissociatively Disordered Child." See Appendix, "Professional Articles."

12. For an excellent discussion on cult programming, see "Common Programs Observed in Survivors of Satanic Abuse," by David Neswald (Appendix, "Professional Articles").

13. The South Carolina Supreme Court demonstrated a remarkable grasp of MPD in its decision of "Rutherford v. Rutherford," 307 S.C. 199, 414 S.E. 2d 157 (1992). In "Rutherford," the court ruled that a wife’s adultery, committed while under the mental illness of MPD, may not be grounds for divorce if the party can clearly show the adulterous personality functioning at the time did not know she was committing adultery.

14. See Dale McCulley’s article entitled, "Satanic Ritual Abuse: A Question of Memory." (Appendix, "Professional Articles.")

15. Very often, mothers whose children spontaneously disclose ritual abuse by other family members are initially shocked and surprised by the disclosure. However, as time passes, the experience may cause what is sometimes referred to as "bleed-through-memory": that is, they begin to remember the incidences as involving their own cult victimizations and participation. These women are sometimes hesitant to report or admit their prior involvement for fear of losing custody of the very children they are attempting to protect. It is important to remember that these women may need additional therapy and support themselves.

16. This is likewise true in your average child sexual abuse or molestation case. (See evidence section of manual for D. Bakers’ discussion of medical studies confirming this fact.)

17. My contact with survivors in South Carolina and other states in the South reveals that alligators are commonly used as a means of disposal of these areas.

18. Remarks form a "Professional Overview" video produced by Cavalcade Productions, Ukiah, California. The point here is that even children who come from families where they have presumably experienced a great deal of love and nurturing can be terrorized into complete silence by such abuse. Since it appears that children who are ritually abused and programmed between the ages of birth and six are at highest risk of developing complex levels of dissociation and MPD, and implications to families and children who survive such an experience are enormous.

19. It may be more effective to request sexual abuse examinations or toxicology tests on children who have not yet disclosed ritualistic abuse, but whose behavior indicate cause for concern. Toxicology testing such as hair sampling is neither invasive nor traumatic. Furthermore, hair retains toxicological traces for an extended period of time depending upon frequency of use.