NCJ Number
186144
Journal
Child Abuse Review Volume: 9 Issue: 5 Dated: September-October 2000 Pages: 321-327
Editor(s)
Margaret A. Lynch,
David Gough
Date Published
2000
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This paper describes two cases in which there was evidence of both child sexual abuse and ritual abuse but where agencies determined sexual abuse and ritual abuse occurred independently of each other and did not indicate ritual child sexual abuse.
Abstract
The two cases were identified during a major search of police and social service records relating to all child protection referrals in eight local authority areas in England between January 1988 and December 1991. In one case, a 6-year-old boy was sexually abused by his 12-year-old brother. After 3 years of abuse, the younger boy told his sister. The sister told the parents but they did not believe the allegation and failed to report it to any agency. Several years later, the two brothers met again and ritual sexual abuse reportedly occurred. The younger brother, 15 years old at this time, ran away from home but left a note for his parents disclosing the abuse. This time, the parents contacted the police who conducted an investigation. The older brother and his friend were tried and convicted of multiple sex offenses. In the other case, day care personnel found a 3-year-old girl was sore in her genital area and reported this to social services. In the course of the subsequent investigation, it was found the girl's mother had some unconventional religious beliefs. The investigation, however, determined the parents did not appear to be responsible for the sexual abuse. Suspicion turned to a male babysitter, but there was insufficient evidence to charge him. The two cases raise clear questions about ritual abuse and the implications of such abuse for practice, particularly with respect to child sexual abuse. Three possible situations in which rituals may occur in conjunction with child sexual abuse are identified: (1) where suspected abusers have an interest in rituals but where there is no suggestion the rituals and sexual abuse overlap; (2) where suspected abusers have used rituals to entrap a child and/or as a means of obtaining additional gratification; and (3) where abusers are alleged to have sexually abused a child as part of an act of satanic worship. The author believes the two cases demonstrate the need for broader and more balanced debate on ritual abuse in general and the handling of ritual abuse cases in particular. 2 references