Forensic Considerations in Ritual Trauma Cases
cousins) who cooperated with neighbors and other adults.”
In order to understand this contradictory presentation by perpetrators, one must first recognize that cults use severe trauma to create dissociation in victims; and repeated trauma and extreme dissociation can result in level of psychological fragmentation that permits both victims and perpetrators to live a “Jekyll and Hyde” existence - often appearing quite normal, trustworthy, and stable to the outside world. This little understood phenomenon, further discussed in Section II (D) below, often prevents disclosures and allegations of ritual trauma from being seriously investigated. Naturally, many people would have a great deal of difficulty imagining and accepting the fact that a teacher, parent, professional, or otherwise respected member of the community could be capable of such horrific activity.
This is not to say that all perpetrators of ritual abuse fit a similar profile. Perpetrators of this type of abuse come in all shapes, sizes, and colors, and may just as easily come from a clearly dysfunctional family setting with a history of various psychological or drug-related problems. Some families appear to be more capable – genetically, psychologically, emotionally, or otherwise – of handling certain aspects of trauma more effectively than others. Capacity to dissociate as a coping mechanism to trauma may play a critical role. Furthermore, the level of sophistication in mind control techniques used by a particular cult may also be an important factor.
Similarly, the size and location of perpetrator groups 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. Furthermore, it is important to understand that many organized cults engage in a variety of money-making endeavors which are criminal in nature. The sexual abuse of children in conjunction with sadistic physical abuse and/or torture is often coupled with the use of these victims for child pornography and child prostitution. Cults may also engage in other money-making activity of a criminal nature including, e.g., the trafficking of children, drugs, and weapons; blackmail; insurance and computer fraud; etc.
As a result of these secretive and sinister activities, cults have been compared with the Mafia. It is interesting to note that in spite of overwhelming evidence to the contrary, former FBI director J. Edgar Hoover “publicly denied the existence of organized crime” for nearly forty years. Similarly, in spite of
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