Forensic Considerations in Ritual Trauma Cases (Part 3)

sensitive. For example, over time many drugs or drug combinations can cause imbalances in blood chemistry, adrenal problems, and organ or liver damage. Hair and skin tone/texture may appear unhealthy, or the child may appear to be slightly bloated, emaciated, or otherwise abnormal. Such an appearance may indicate the need for toxicological testing beyond the normal bloodwork. In certain instances, a non-invasive method may be preferred, such as the collection of a hair sample for lab analysis.

Drug use can also have damaging effects on a child’s teeth and gums. Any alleged victim of ritual trauma should be referred for a dental examination and follow-up care. Evidence of deteriorating teeth, enamel, and/or gums may boost the need for toxicological testing, as well as give support to other medical evidence regarding the child’s trauma or neglect.

C. PSYCHOLOGISTS, THERAPISTS, & MENTAL HEALTH WORKERS

[Note: Therapists should be familiar with the techniques used by perpetrators in ritual trauma. A lending library of training tapes on the topic is available for professionals and can be accessed by contacting the author.] Therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, and other professionals in the mental health field play a particularly important role in cases involving the ritual abuse of children. Because these cases involve extremely challenging diagnostic and treatment issues, it is particularly important that such professionals seek assistance and input from other professionals with expertise or experience in diagnosing and treating ritual trauma victims. Additional support can be obtained through joining professional associations that focus on issues of severe trauma and/or dissociation. These organizations usually provide periodic workshops and seminars to educate and train professionals in better identifying and treating victims of severe and/or ritual trauma and may also offer options for liability insurance and legal support.

It is important to recognize that dissociative disorders are commonly present in children who have been ritually traumatized. Unfortunately, dissociation can cause behaviors and symptoms in children that mimic other disorders and lead to inaccurate diagnoses and ineffective treatment of the problem. For example, a child with DID or other dissociative disorder can exhibit a wide-range of behaviors that are somewhat consistent with such diagnoses as ADD, ADHD, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, Bipolar Disorder, Tourette’s Disorder, etc. The abrupt changes in a child’s personality and behavior which accompany DID can be very similar to the aggressive and chaotic behaviors found in these other disorders, so practitioners must be very cautious in their assessment and avoid over-reliance on previous diagnoses

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