What is sexual violence in organized and ritual structures?
Abstract
Introduction Sexual child abuse in organized and ritual structures (ORA) involves perpetrator networks with ideological frameworks. An inhomogeneous definition of the term “ritual” complicates the scientific discourse, the education of society and thereby the improvement of the health care situation for those affected. Objectives The aim of the current study is to work out how organized and ritual aspects are described by persons affected and contemporary witnesses to further differentiate the definition of ORA. Methods Within a project funded by the Independent Commission for the Study of Sexual Child Abuse, 23 transcripts of confidential hearings (open and semi-structured interviews) as well as eleven written reports by 33 self-identified ORA victims and contemporary witnesses were analyzed by means of a multi-level, summarizing content analysis (deductive-inductive-deductive coding). Results The structure (e. g., networked perpetrators with influence on power structures) and strategies (e. g., dissociative split strategies and programming/conditioning techniques, or extortion) of the perpetrator were identified as organized elements. Furthermore, the use of ideologies (e. g., religious, extreme right-wing, satanic), symbolism (e. g., language, objects, and clothing) and practices (e. g., ceremonies, sacrifices, cannibalism) were interpreted as ritual elements. The impression arose that the elements are closely linked to each other and that the ritual elements are based on the organized elements thereby causing an intensification and justification of violence. Conclusion The elements of ritual abuse seem to build on the elements of organized abuse in order to justify and intensify the violent acts of the perpetrators. Understanding ritual abuse as an ideological subtype of organized abuse can facilitate social education and thus improve the psychosocial care of the persons affected.