Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry: Boys raped by priests, Children Not Believed, Nxivm trial: Why it's so hard to stop a cult, Ritual Abuse Conference

- Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry: Boys raped by priests at 'satanic parties'

" It says children were targeted by staff, volunteers, visitors, priests and nuns, and adults who were aware of the abuse took no action." 

 

- Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry: Nazareth Houses were 'places of fear'

" Runways were beaten when they returned. Those who reported their abuse to police were not believed."

 

- Keith Raniere Nxivm trial: Why it's so hard to stop a cult

" Cults are structured like the layers of an onion, with the most acceptable elements closest to the outside, followed by increasing layers of secrecy and abuse as recruits move closer to the centre."

 

 

- SMART East Coast Conference, Prices Low as $50, Special Deals End Soon
The 2019 Annual Ritual Abuse, Secretive Organizations and Mind Control
Conference is August 17 – 18, 2019 at the DoubleTree near Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, CT https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/ 

Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry: Boys raped by priests at 'satanic parties'
7 June 2019
A child abuse inquiry witness has told how he was raped by priests during "satanic" drink-fuelled sex parties.

 

Dave Sharp also described a catalogue of sexual, physical and emotional violence at St Ninian's in Falkland, Fife, between 1971 and 1975.

Mr Sharp, from Glasgow, said the abuse had left him with "lifelong trauma".

The independent Scottish Child Abuse inquiry is looking in detail at historical abuse of children in residential care.

 

Mr Sharp urged inquiry chairwoman Lady Smith, to piece together the "jigsaw" of victims' accounts and called for a "national discussion" on the subject.

The 60-year-old, who has waived his right to anonymity, was put into care after his mother died when he was aged one.

Tied up

He stayed in several institutions before going to the Catholic-run care home in Fife.

He told how he was groomed by one of the religious brothers, who would tell him he loved him, which "no-one had ever done" before.

The inquiry heard the then-12-year-old was later raped.

 

Most of the abuse was said to have taken place in the shower rooms, where the witness would be made to stand in the dark through the night as a punishment....

 

The inquiry heard "two or three" boys were trafficked around Scotland and Ireland at a time to be used in drink-fuelled sex parties, which he described as "satanic".

One occasion in Ireland was said to have involved 10 men taking turns to rape the boys.

It was heard priests were among those involved and incidents took place over the duration of his time at St Ninian's, which was run by religious order the Christian Brothers....
https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-48559590

 

Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry: Nazareth Houses were 'places of fear'
30 May 2019
Some children at the Nazareth House orphanages in Scotland were subjected to sexual abuse of the "utmost depravity", the Scottish Child Abuse Inquiry has found.

 

Chairwoman Lady Smith said the children's homes were places of fear, hostility and confusion.

Youngsters were physically abused and emotionally degraded "with impunity".

The Sisters of Nazareth charity said it had apologised for any abuse that took place in its institutions.

Over 27 days last year, the inquiry heard evidence from former residents of four institutions in Aberdeen, Glasgow, Midlothian and Ayrshire....

 

It says children were targeted by staff, volunteers, visitors, priests and nuns, and adults who were aware of the abuse took no action....

 

Lady Smith said: "The Nazareth Houses in Scotland were, for many children, places of fear, hostility and confusion, places where children were physically abused and emotionally degraded with impunity.

 

"There was sexual abuse of children which, in some instances, reached levels of the utmost depravity. Children in need of kind, warm, loving care and comfort did not find it. Children were deprived of compassion, dignity, care and comfort."....

 

Children were hit with belts, canes, sticks, broom handles, hairbrushes, shoes and wooden crucifixes. Carbolic soap was forced into their mouths, their heads banged together and they were made to kneel in corridors for long periods. For many children, this was part of daily life

Runways were beaten when they returned. Those who reported their abuse to police were not believed....

https://www.bbc.com/news/uk-scotland-48458480 
 

Keith Raniere Nxivm trial: Why it's so hard to stop a cult
By Alexandra Stein South Bank University
20 June 2019
Sex cult leader Keith Raniere, has been convicted in New York of charges including racketeering and sex trafficking.

For 20 years, Raniere was the leader of Nxivm (pronounced nexium), which claimed to be a self-help group and to have thousands of followers.

But during his trial, former members gave an insight into the reality of how the group was run.

They described being forced to break off previous relationships and of suffering physical and sexual abuse. Some were forced to have abortions. A "slave and master" system saw women forced to hand over "collateral" - often humiliating photographs - to show their commitment.

 

The revelations have shocked many people and made headlines around the world. But, in reality, Nxivm reveals a great deal about how cults work....

 

Cults are structured like the layers of an onion, with the most acceptable elements closest to the outside, followed by increasing layers of secrecy and abuse as recruits move closer to the centre.

 

In the case of Nxivm, the outer layers saw seemingly harmless self-improvement programmes used to recruit members' friends, family and colleagues. But at its core, Raniere exerted extreme levels of control, allegedly culminating in sexual abuse, violence and the branding of his initials on female followers.

Bringing leaders to justice

The authorities were alerted to Nxivm's activities as far back as 2003, according to Forbes. But the New York Times reported early attempts to follow up complaints were rebuffed by officials, who said the women were acting consensually, or that technicalities prevented legal action.

 

This illustrates a key problem in prosecuting the leaders of cults: members often say they are acting under their own free will.

Even if current or former members want to press charges, many feel too afraid because of possible repercussions, or the stigma attached to having been a member.

 

In many countries, a lack of robust laws against psychological manipulation, or a concrete legal definition of a cult, means it can be difficult to bring cases to court.

 

In France, the About-Picard law forbids individuals or groups from engaging in activities designed to create physical or psychological subjection. Similar laws have been enforced in Luxembourg and Belgium, but these countries are the exception.

 

In 2015, the UK brought in a new law around coercive control, which criminalised the psychological abuse of a person for the benefit of the perpetrator. This applies even in the absence of physical violence, or if the victim refuses to testify.

 

At present, this law only applies to intimate, or family relationships. But many survivors say the coercive behaviours like isolation, control of relationships, monitoring and humiliation also occurs in cults....

 

The traits of cults

Run by a charismatic, authoritarian leader, or leadership group, who seeks extreme levels of control over followers
Uses a hierarchical pyramid structure with layers of secrecy surrounding the leader. Followers are socially, psychologically and sometimes physically isolated
Leader's behaviour is justified by a totalitarian belief system that claims to have all the answers
A brainwashing process takes place. Total immersion in the group leaves no time or space for self-generated relationships or activities

The group alternates an apparently loving or attentive approach with escalating levels of stress or fear. This could be implemented through sleep or food deprivation, apocalyptic predictions, or threats of violence or sexual abuse
This process of coercive control creates followers who are controlled by or for the leader without regard for their own needs...

 

Greater awareness of how coercive control works could give people the tools to recognise, and therefore avoid, this type of manipulation.

One way of doing this could be through prevention education in schools and universities, to help protect people from these predatory groups....
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-48635278

SMART East Coast Conference, Prices Low as $50, Special Deals End Soon
The 2019 Annual Ritual Abuse, Secretive Organizations and Mind Control
Conference is August 17 – 18, 2019 at the DoubleTree near Bradley International Airport in Windsor Locks, CT https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/ 

 

Speakers include Alison Miller Ph.D, Neil Brick and movie maker Daniel Roemer.