1. Cult and Ritual Abuse James Randall Noblitt, PhD S.M.A.R.T. 2014 Conference Saturday, August 16, 2014 10:45 – 11:45 AM

2. History of the Ritual Abuse Concept  Until the late 1970s child abuse was considered very rare.  Along with the civil rights movement, women’s rights were increasingly acknowledged during the 1960s and 1970s.

3. History of the Ritual Abuse Concept  Feeling more empowered some women began to disclose their own victimization in childhood. Some men also spoke out about their past abuses.  There was a gradual recognition that child abuse is not rare.

4. History of the Ritual Abuse Concept  An abuse survivors’ movement emerged.  During the 1980s people also began to report victimization in bizarre ritualistic contexts.

5. History of the Ritual Abuse Concept  A variety of terms were used to describe this kind of abuse: Satanic ritual abuse (Ross, 1995) Satanist abuse (Sinason, 1994) Sadistic abuse (Goodwin, 1993) Ritual abuse/torture (Sarston, & MacDonald, 2008). Ritual abuse (Noblitt & Perskin, 1995, 2000; Noblitt & Noblitt, 2014)

6. We focus on a broad concept of ritual abuse (RA) because  Not all RA is Satanic  RA may involve Satanic themes, but it may also include Gnostic, Afro-Carribean, Shamanistic, irregular or quasi-Masonic rituals among others.  We found evidence of ritualistic abuse throughout history in a wide variety of cultures (Noblitt & Perskin, 1995, 2000; Noblitt & Noblitt, 2014).

7. We use a broad definition of RA that includes  Abuse in ceremonies  Circumscribed abuse that is conducted in a prescribed, repeated manner that includes Child sexual abuse where the child is trained to experience dissociation of consciousness or identity to particular cues. Extremely aversive conditioning implemented with scientific or medical equipment.

8. Pam and I recently consulted in a RA case in Israel

9. In order to limit our broad definition of RA  We specify that that the abuse in question must have been used to create or control the survivor’s dissociation of identity.

10. Clients sometimes tell RA narratives  These narratives are typically layered. They do not usually emerge all at one time.  Ritual abuse narratives often include descriptions of repeated physical and sexual abuse within the family of origin where the victim is taught to submit or cooperate with the abuse under conditions of extreme duress.

11. Clients sometimes tell RA narratives  Some of the abuse is described occurring in transgressive ceremonies (e.g., Satanic, Luciferian, malignant Afro-Carribean, shamanistic, etc.) with ceremonial garb and paraphernalia.  Some of the abuse occurs in interactions that resemble skits.  RA survivors often talk about being shared sexually with other people, sometimes in ceremonies, sometimes not.

12. Clients sometimes tell RA narratives  Many survivors report that they were forced into multi-victim/multi-perpetrator sexual abuse for money.  Survivors often describe abuse in medical or laboratory settings. Some call this mind control.

13. In addition to their narratives of  Repeated and often circumscribed incest  Abuse in ceremonies  Abuse via sex trafficking  Abuse in sexualized or occult skits  Abuse in mind-control research or medical contexts

14. These survivors also show evidence of  Dissociation of identity  Specific trigger-responses  Idiosyncratic somatic loci (and laterality) for sensation and motor responses

15. About Dissociation of Identity  Dissociation is not all the same.  We distinguish the different kinds of dissociation by functional categories (Noblitt & Noblitt, 2014): Dissociation of consciousness Dissociation of memory Dissociation of identity Dissociation of perception Dissociation of volition

16. Dissociation of consciousness  E.g., trance states, varying in intensity from mild to stuporous trance

17. Dissociation of memory  E.g., traumagenic amnesia

18. Dissociation of identity (DI)  E.g., DID or Other Specified Dissociative Disorder or Unspecified Dissociative Disorder (formerly DDNOS) where dissociation of identity is present  High functioning individuals who do not meet criteria for any DSM categories but who experience DI.

19. Dissociation of perception  Depersonalization/Derealization Disorder  Dissociogenic hallucinations

20. Dissociation of volition  E.g., automatisms

21. People with dissociation of identity  Also typically experience the other kinds of functional dissociation, although they may do so without full conscious awareness.

22. Treatment  We recommend a specific diagnosis, Cult and Ritual Trauma Disorder, for ritual abuse survivors (Noblitt & Perskin, 1995, 2000; Noblitt & Noblitt, 2014).  Cult and Ritual Trauma Disorder responds well to psychological interventions.

23. Treatment  People with Cult and Ritual Trauma Disorder also typically meet DSM criteria for PTSD, DID (or Other Specified Dissociative Disorder), Mood Disorder (Depressive or Bipolar) and often, but not always, Substance-Related and Addictive Disorders. Somatic Symptom Disorders, Borderline PD, Eating Disorders, Obsessive-Compulsive, and sleeping problems are common.

24. Treatment  Well thought out, long-term, trans-theoretical psychotherapy for trauma and extreme abuse  Accessing Dissociated Mental States (Noblitt, 2010)  Desensitizing general trauma response and specific responses to triggers

25. Our recent book, published July, 2014 by Praeger

26. References Goodwin, J. M. (1993). Sadistic abuse: Definition, recognition, and treatment. Dissociation, 6(2−3), 181−187. International Society for the Study of Dissociation. (2011). Guidelines for treating dissociative identity disorder in adults, third revision. Journal of Trauma & Dissociation, 12(2), 115–187. doi: 10.1080/15299732.2011.537247 Noblitt, R. (2010). An unintended specialty. Voices: The Art and Science of Psychotherapy, 46(3), 61−68. Noblitt, J. R., & Noblitt, P. P. (2014). Cult and ritual abuse: Narratives, evidence, and healing approaches (3rd ed.). Santa Barbara, CA: Praeger.

27. References Noblitt, J. R., & Perskin, P. S. (1995). Cult and ritual abuse: Its history, anthropology, and recent discovery in contemporary America. Westport, CT: Praeger. Noblitt, J. R., & Perskin, P. S. (2000). Cult and ritual abuse: Its history, anthropology, and recent discovery in contemporary America (Rev. ed.). Westport, CT: Praeger. Ross, C. A. (1995). Satanic ritual abuse: Principles of treatment. Toronto: University of Toronto Press. Sarson, J., & MacDonald, L. (2008). Ritual abuse-torture within families/groups. Journal of Aggression, Maltreatment & Trauma, 16(4), 419‒438.

28. References Sinason, V. (1994). Treating survivors of Satanist abuse. London: Routledge.