GOVERNMENT STUDIES OF CHILDHOOD RITUAL ABUSE
Reasons for Government Studies
There is an immense reservoir of belief that underground Satanic "cults"
are kidnapping, ritually abusing and killing children. A poll in Utah
revealed that over 90% of adults believe that Satanic Ritual Abuse is
happening in their state. A single rumor can trigger a full Satanic Panic
in just about any North American community. (1) Two recent examples from our
area of Eastern Ontario were:
- Ottawa ON: In 1996-JUN, a newborn baby was abandoned by its
mother, left in a wooded area and attacked by wild animals. This almost
triggered a public panic about ritual killings by Satanists.
- Kingston ON: An illegal dog-fighting club dumped the carcass of
the losing dog by the roadside. It was badly gashed during the fight.
Within a few days, after a representative of the local dog shelter fingered
Satanists, a panic began to build. The one dog became rumours of many dogs.
The police began to receive phone inquiries from hundreds of miles away
concerning Satanic groups in the area. Local Wiccans
(incorrectly) warned each other that the police were picking up for
questioning anyone who wore "occult jewelry".
Sometimes, Satanic panics can increase in intensity or frequency to the
point where a City, State or Federal government will order a study or hold
an inquiry. Some examples are:
Other studies were conducted by Governments of Virginia (2, 3), of Michigan,
and the Netherlands (4). All reached the same conclusion that
Satanic/Sadistic ritual abuse does not exist as a significant problem
in their areas. One family involved in incest with a male child during
Satanic rituals was found during the US Government funded study. One case of
Satanic Ritual Abuse involving torture of children and simulated murder
of infants was found during the Utah investigation. Unfortunately, the
statute of limitations precluded prosecution.
References
- Jeffrey Victor, Satanic Panic, Open Court, Chicago, 1993
- Crime Commission Task Force Studying Ritual Criminal Activity, Final
Report of the Task Force Studying Ritual Crime (Richmond, VA; 1991)
- State Task force Finds No Major Cult Activity, Richmond New
Leader, Aug. 15, 1991.
- Minister of Justice, Report of the Ritual Abuse Work Group,
1994-Apr, PO Box 20301, 2500EH, The Hague, Netherlands (In Dutch. Found
that ritual abuse exists only in the mind; it has no basis in fact.)
Return to the OCRT home page; "Not So Spiritual" page.