SMART Newsletter #185 - November 2025 - Information on Jeffrey Epstein, Prince Andrew and Virginia Giuffre

Issue 185 – November 2025

Copied with permission

The SMART Ritual Abuse Newsletter - Issue 185 - November 2025 is now available online at https://ritualabuse.us/2025/10/issue-185-november-2025/

Please feel free to write smartnews@aol.com if you have any questions

S.M.A.R.T.
(Stop Mind control And Ritual abuse Today)
P. O Box 1295, Easthampton, MA 01027-1295 USA

E-mail: SMARTNEWS@aol.com
Home page: https://ritualabuse.us/ 

The purpose of this newsletter is to help stop secretive organizations and groups from abusing others and to help those who allege they have been abused by such organizations and groups. This newsletter is not a substitute for other ways of recovering from ritual abuse. Readers should use caution while reading this newsletter. If necessary, make sure other support systems are available during and after reading this newsletter.

Important:
The resources mentioned in this newsletter are for educational value only. Reading the books cited may or may not help your recovery process, so use caution when reading any book or contacting any resource mentioned in this newsletter. Some may have a religious or other agenda that may be separate from your own recovery process. Others may have valuable information on secretive organizations, but have triggers or be somewhat sympathetic to those organizations. Unless explicitly stated otherwise, the views expressed in this newsletter constitute expressions of opinion, and readers are cautioned to form their own opinions and draw their own conclusions by consulting a variety of sources, including this newsletter. Resources listed, quoted and individual articles, etc. and their writers do not necessarily support all or any of the views mentioned in this newsletter. Also, the views, facts and opinions mentioned in this newsletter are solely the opinions of the authors and are not necessarily the opinions of this newsletter or its editor.

Copyright 2025 – All rights reserved. No reproduction of any material without written permission from the editor and individual authors.

Information in this issue includes:
– SMART is celebrating our 30th anniversary.
– The Survivorship Trafficking and Extreme Abuse Online Conference May 2026
– Trauma, Dissociation, and Surviving a Psychopathic Father
– Prince Andrew to give up Duke of York title and honors amid Jeffrey Epstein developments
– Email calling Epstein a ‘supreme friend’ adds new fuel to royal scandal
– Virginia Giuffre Family’s Emotional Statement After Prince Andrew Stripped of Title: ‘Today, She Declares Victory’
– Nobody’s Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice by Virginia Roberts Giuffre (Author) discusses Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell
– Virginia Giuffre did not name former prime minister she claimed raped her, for fear of murder
– What is ‘ritual abuse’? Sky News given exclusive access to call centre helping victims
– AI fuelling a new one age of child abuse – 600,000 victims in Britain alone
– Archdiocese agrees to $230M settlement in clergy sex abuse case, attorneys say – New Orleans Archdiocese
– “Unlocking Buried Secrets” story of surviving a multigenerational Satanic Cult/Mind Control/Masons.
– Bishop Kortu Brown Calls for Africa-wide Campaign to End Ritualistic Killings at Pepperdine University Human Trafficking Colloquium in Nigeria
– Sanwo-Olu Leads African Leaders to Unite Against Human Trafficking, Ritual Abuse, Sacrifice
– Sex Abuse, Satanic Rites Described in Charges against Gilroy Foster Mom

SMART is celebrating our 30th anniversary this year. This is our 185rd newsletter. Our first issue (online https://ritualabuse.us/2008/10/issue-1-march-1995/ discussed the book Ritual Abuse What it is, Why it Happens and How to Help by Margaret Smith. It covered a thesis on Masonic Ritual Abuse called “Ritual Abuse, its Effects and the Process of Recovery Using Self Help Methods and Resources, and Focusing on the Spiritual Aspect of Damage and Recover.” Over the years, SMART expanded its scope to cover institutionalized abuse, clergy abuse, government mind control and sex trafficking issues. SMART has had yearly conferences since 1997. SMART has become one of the largest ritual abuse resource information providers on the Internet

The Survivorship Trafficking and Extreme Abuse Online Conference 2026 https://survivorship.org/the-survivorship-trafficking-and-extreme-abuse-online-conference-2026/
Survivor Conference – Saturday and Sunday May 16 – 17, 2026
Clinician’s Conference – Friday May 15, 2026
Please write info@survivorship.org if you would like to get on their conference mailing list.

Trauma, Dissociation, and Surviving a Psychopathic Father
Personal Perspective: A journey that includes dissociative identity disorder.
June 3, 2025 – Adrian Fletcher Psy.D., M.A., Reviewed by Kaja Perina

My father was a psychopath. He trafficked me. He subjected me to ritual abuse and mind control from a young age. It’s difficult to write those words—even now—as a licensed psychologist, a speaker, a writer, and someone who is nationally recognized for my work in the field of dissociative disorders. But I share them because they are the truth. And because for decades, I was forced to live in silence.
In 2018, when my mother died, the dam finally broke. That loss triggered the surfacing of memories that had long been held by other parts of me—parts I didn’t yet fully know or understand. It was then I came to realize I had Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). Not because I had been misdiagnosed (though I had), not because of a label, but because my system had kept me alive through something the mind should not have to bear.
DID is a creative, protective response to chronic, severe trauma, often beginning in early childhood. It’s not a character flaw. It’s not rare. It is rarely recognized—especially by clinicians who are under-trained and misinformed. And it is not the sensationalized, dangerous caricature that Hollywood continues to promote.

Each part of me—of my system—holds pieces of our story. Our strength. Our survival. DID is not chaos; it is order in the face of terror. It is the nervous system doing its job to keep a child alive when no one else would.
The path from there to here has been long. Treatment has been complex, nonlinear, and life-saving. And even now, as a psychologist and trauma specialist, speaking about my story in public spaces comes with emotional cost. There is risk in telling the truth when the world still struggles to believe survivors.
But I also know the cost of silence. So I speak—not only for myself, but for the many others who cannot, who are still in hiding, who are still being harmed by disbelief, by stigma, by systems not built to support them.
I have gone from silenced to stage. From a hidden, shattered inner world to a nationally recognized voice in trauma and dissociation. I’ve presented at conferences, trained clinicians across the country, and written for organizations I once only dreamed of. And yet, I am still often met with skepticism, stigma, and discomfort—especially when I name the realities of trafficking, ritual abuse, or DID.
We need to do better. Mental health professionals must be educated about complex trauma and dissociation—not just in theory, but in practice. Survivors need clinicians who can recognize the signs, who won’t pathologize their adaptations, and who will believe them.
DID is not an attention-seeking disorder. It is not created by suggestion. It is a human response to inhuman circumstances….
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/keeping-it-real-and-resilient/202506/trauma-dissociation-and-surviving-a-psychopathic-father

Prince Andrew to give up Duke of York title and honors amid Jeffrey Epstein developments King Charles III’s brother said that “the continued accusations about me” were distracting from the work of the royal family. Oct. 17, 2025 By Nick Duffy
Britain’s Prince Andrew will stop using his Duke of York title after facing fresh questions over his friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Andrew, King Charles III’s younger brother, said in a statement issued via Buckingham Palace that he would “no longer use my title or the honours which have been conferred upon me.” The decision was taken “in discussion with The King, and my immediate and wider family,” he said, after concluding that “the continued accusations about me distract from the work of His Majesty and the Royal Family.
“As I have said previously, I vigorously deny the accusations against me,” Andrew said. His former wife, Sarah Ferguson, will no longer be known as the Duchess of York. Andrew stepped back from public duties in 2019 and returned his military affiliations and later royal patronages in January 2022, after his lawyers failed to persuade a U.S. judge to dismiss a lawsuit accusing him of sexual abuse.
He later paid a substantial sum to Epstein abuse survivor Virginia Giuffre, who alleged that Andrew sexually abused her when she was 17. Andrew has repeatedly denied the allegation….
Last month, a 2011 email surfaced from Ferguson to Epstein describing the disgraced financier as a “supreme friend,” just weeks after she had publicly distanced herself from him….
https://www.nbcnews.com/world/united-kingdom/prince-andrew-give-duke-york-title-honors-jeffrey-epstein-developments-rcna238242

Email calling Epstein a ‘supreme friend’ adds new fuel to royal scandal
A spokesperson for Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, said the email was sent to counter a threat Epstein had made to sue her for defamation. Sept. 21, 2025 By Freddie Clayton
LONDON ….Just days after Trump, the royals and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer largely skirted questions about Jeffrey Epstein that had threatened to complicate the sunny spectacle of his trip, the British press offered new revelations.
A newly surfaced email revealed that Sarah Ferguson, the Duchess of York, described Epstein, the disgraced financier, as a “supreme friend” despite his conviction for sex offenses.
The email was published in two newspapers Sunday. It was sent by the duchess — the former wife of Prince Andrew, the Duke of York — in 2011, just weeks after she had publicly distanced herself from Epstein.
A spokesperson for the duchess said the email was sent to counter a threat Epstein had made to sue her for defamation. But the duchess was dropped as a patron of several U.K. charities after the email was published. Both cited her correspondence with Epstein as the reason.
And the story will add new fuel to damaging media coverage about royal links to Epstein, which have centered on Andrew’s own close relationship and a lawsuit accusing him of sexual abuse — he denied the allegations by Virginia Giuffre and settled out of court. Giuffre died by suicide this year.
In a 2011 interview, the duchess said her involvement with Epstein — who was jailed in 2008 for soliciting prostitution from a minor — had been a “gigantic error of judgment,” promising she would never have anything to do with him again. “I abhor pedophilia and any sexual abuse of children,” she said at the time, adding that what Epstein did was “wrong and for which he was rightly jailed.”
But “The Sun” and “The Mail on Sunday” reported that shortly after the interview, Ferguson emailed Epstein to reassure him she had not used the word “pedophilia” in reference to him.

“As you know, I did not, absolutely not, say the ‘P word’ about you but understand it was reported that I did,” she wrote. “I know you feel hellaciously let down by me. You have always been a steadfast, generous and supreme friend to me and my family.” The duchess was “taken in” by Epstein’s lies, her spokesperson said Sunday.
“As soon as she was aware of the extent of the allegations against him, she not only cut off contact but condemned him publicly, to the extent that he then threatened to sue her for defamation for associating him with pedophilia.”…
Andrew returned his military affiliations and royal patronages in January 2022 after his lawyers failed to persuade a U.S. judge to dismiss Giuffre’s lawsuit.
Andrew later paid a substantial sum to Giuffre, who alleged he abused her when she was 17. Andrew has repeatedly denied the allegation….
https://www.nbcnews.com/world/united-kingdom/email-calling-epstein-supreme-friend-adds-new-fuel-royal-scandal-rcna232705

Virginia Giuffre Family’s Emotional Statement After Prince Andrew Stripped of Title: ‘Today, She Declares Victory’
Giuffre, 41, who died by suicide in April, “never stopped fighting for accountability for what had happened to her and to countless other survivors like her,” her family says By KC Baker and Liz McNeil October 30, 2025
The family of the late Virginia Giuffre is speaking out about Prince Andrew losing all of his royal titles in an unprecedented move by King Charles
In their emotional statement, they praise Giuffre for how she “brought down” the former prince, who will now be known as Andrew Mountbatten Windsor
The decision comes amid renewed scrutiny of Andrew’s ties to late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and ongoing controversy surrounding past allegations…
Andrew has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.
In 2022, he reached an out-of-court settlement with Giuffre, which included a statement in which he expressed regret for his association with Epstein, but contained no admission of liability or apology, per the BBC.

In her memoir, Giuffre detailed how she met Andrew on March 10, 2001, in Maxwell’s London home and recalled posing for a now-infamous picture with him taken on her Kodak FunSaver. After going out to dinner and dancing at a club, Maxwell allegedly told her, “When we get home, you are to do for him what you do for Jeffrey,” she wrote.
“Back at the house, Maxwell and Epstein said goodnight and headed upstairs, signaling it was time that I take care of the prince. In the years since, I’ve thought a lot about how he behaved. He was friendly enough, but still entitled – as if he believed having sex with me was his birthright.” The third time she claimed she was made to have sex with Andrew was with Epstein and eight other young girls on the 72-acre island Epstein owned in the U.S. Virgin Islands, she wrote….
Giuffre’s family says that they, along with Virginia’s “survivor sisters,” will continue her battle and “will not rest until the same accountability applies to all of the abusers and abettors connected to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell.”
https://people.com/virginia-giuffre-family-statement-prince-andrew-stripped-of-title-victory-11840799

Nobody’s Girl: A Memoir of Surviving Abuse and Fighting for Justice – October 21, 2025 by Virginia Roberts Giuffre (Author)
#1 NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • The unforgettable memoir by the late Virginia Roberts Giuffre, the woman who dared to take on Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell
“Make no mistake: this is a book about power, corruption, industrial-scale sex abuse and the way in which institutions sided with the perpetrator over his victims. . . . But it is also a book about how a young woman becomes a hero. . . . Important [and] courageous.” —The Guardian
The world knows Virginia Roberts Giuffre as Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell’s most outspoken victim: the woman whose decision to speak out helped send both serial abusers to prison, whose photograph with Prince Andrew catalyzed his fall from grace. But her story has never been told in full, in her own words—until now….
Here, Giuffre offers an unsparing and definitive account of her time with Epstein and Maxwell, who trafficked her and others to numerous prominent men. She also details the molestation she suffered as a child, as well as her daring escape from Epstein and Maxwell’s grasp at nineteen. Giuffre remade her life from scratch and summoned the courage to not only hold her abusers to account but also advocate for other victims. The pages of Nobody’s Girl preserve her voice—and her legacy—forever.
Nobody’s Girl is an astonishing affirmation of Giuffre’s unshakable will—first, to claw her way out of victimhood, and then to shine light on wrongdoing and fight for a safer, fairer world. Equal parts intimate and fierce, it is a remarkable narrative of fortitude in the face of depravity and despair.
https://www.amazon.com/Nobodys-Girl-Surviving-Fighting-Justice/dp/0593493125

Virginia Giuffre did not name former prime minister she claimed raped her, for fear of murder Bill Bowkett 10/30/2025 Virginia Giuffre omitted the name of a former prime minister who allegedly raped her from memoir because she feared he would kill her, according to her ghost-writer. Amy Wallace, who spent four years working on the autobiography, said Prince Andrew’s accuser was constantly worried about her “physical safety and threats”.
In April, Ms Giuffre — who won an undisclosed payout from the disgraced royal after claiming she was forced to have sex with him aged 17 — died by suicide at her farm in Australia, aged 41.
In the book, Ms Giuffre described being under the control of the late convicted paedophile Jeffrey Epstein and his associates, including allegations against Andrew which he vigorously denies.
“In my years with them, they lent me out to scores of wealthy, powerful people. I was habitually used and humiliated – and in some instances, choked, beaten, and bloodied,” Ms Giuffre wrote. “I believed that I might die a sex slave.”
In the US edition, Ms Giuffre claims she was sexually assaulted by a man whom she had “taken pains to describe in my legal filings only as a ‘well-known Prime Minister.’” Passages in the British version are nearly identical but refer to the unnamed individual as a “former minister”. Ms Wallace, an American journalist, declined to identify the ex-PM, but described him as not just a rapist, but a “sadist”.
https://m.independent.ie/world-news/britain/virginia-giuffre-did-not-name-former-prime-minister-she-claimed-raped-her-for-fear-of-murder/a63446952.html

What is ‘ritual abuse’? Sky News given exclusive access to call centre helping victims Sky’s Alice Porter has spoken to experts at the National Association for People Abused in Childhood. Supervisor Sam Booth recalls the types of abuse she has come across, including ‘Satanic ritual abuse’. Tuesday 23 September 2025
https://news.sky.com/video/what-is-ritual-abuse-massive-rise-in-child-on-child-sexual-abuse-recorded-by-experts-13436383

AI fuelling a new one age of child abuse – 600,000 victims in Britain alone
British children are enduring a ‘shocking pandemic’ of child sexual abuse with nearly 1 in 20 raped or sexually assaulted and 1 in 10 exposed to sexually unwanted online content By Lucy Johnston, Health and Social Affairs Editor of the Sunday Express Sun, Oct 12, 2025
British children are enduring a ‘shocking pandemic’ of child sexual abuse with nearly 1 in 20 raped or sexually assaulted and 1 in 10 exposed to sexually unwanted online content a new study has revealed.
The research indicates 608,763 youngsters been raped or sexually assaulted before the age of 18 and over a million have been groomed, coerced, exploited or exposed to unwanted sexual content online – including AI-generated sex abuse images of children.
The study, carried out by University of Edinburgh based Childlight Global Child Safety Institute, suggests an epidemic of abuse taking place both behind closed doors and on screens, where children are being sexually exploited – often by people they know.
The UK figures have been drawn from Childlight’s major new study ‘Into the Light’ – published this week. It comes as research reveals there has been a 1,325 percent surge in AI-generated child sexual abuse material since 2023. Images now include “deepfakes” of children’s faces placed onto naked bodies or blended synthetic-real abuse videos.
The institute warns that many abusers are family members or trusted adults, who coerce children into creating sexual content or sharing explicit photos as part of grooming rituals. These images are then traded through encrypted networks, private messaging apps and even mainstream social media.
Professor Elena Martellozzo, Director of Childlight’s European Hub, said: “We are experiencing a shocking pandemic of sexual assault, rape and sexual abuse among children. Estimates show around half of the perpetrators are known to the children – either family members or friends. Some of these figures highlight increased reporting of the problem, but we know that online abuse has risen sharply. Many perpetrators groom their own children or those known to them or their families to provide images in order to access networks of other online offenders.”….

The figures are based on a synthesis of 14 UK studies and show, that 4.4 percent of British children – roughly 608,763 out of the 13.8 million aged 0–17 – have been raped or sexually assaulted before adulthood….
A separate UK-based analysis found that 11 percent of children aged 5–17 – about 1,126,027 young people – had been exposed to unwanted sexual content online in the past year. And 2,006,375 children – or 20 percent – are estimated to face online grooming when they are often pressured into sharing sexual images.
Globally, relatives are thought to be responsible for over half of child sexual abuse material, with fathers producing an estimated 900,000 images in 2024 alone…. Across Western Europe, Childlight estimates around 7 percent of children – roughly five million – are raped or sexually assaulted before 18, with rates more than twice as high for girls (9.7 %) as boys (3.9 %).
About one in five children (19.6 %) report experiencing online solicitation or grooming, equivalent to nearly 15 million victims. One in seven say it happened in just the last year. The study analysed 48 surveys from 19 European countries and found wide variations – but a consistent upward trend as mobile phones and social media become the “new front line” of abuse. Childlight’s Into the Light report – analysing 94 population-based studies on rape and sexual assault and 77 on online exploitation – is the largest known dataset of its kind…. https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/2120428/AI-fuelling-a-new-one-age-of-child-abuse-600-000-victims-in-Britain-alone

Archdiocese agrees to $230M settlement in clergy sex abuse case, attorneys say The New Orleans Archdiocese has agreed to a $230 million settlement for survivors of clergy sexual abuse By JACK BROOK /REPORT FOR AMERICA Associated Press September 8, 2025
NEW ORLEANS — The New Orleans Archdiocese on Monday agreed to a $230 million proposed settlement for survivors of clergy sexual abuse, attorneys for some of the survivors said Monday. The agreement paves the way for a final resolution to yearslong negotiations amid a series of similar settlements from the Catholic Church….
Survivors have until late October to vote on whether or not to approve the settlement. If approved by two-thirds of survivors, payments could begin disbursement by next year. “At this point, I’m not aware of a single attorney for an abuse survivor that opposes the plan,” said Brad Knapp, an attorney for a committee representing abuse survivors. “With all the abuse survivors’ attorneys supporting it, I think there’s much less chance that it gets voted down.”
The archdiocese’s bankruptcy is one of the longest running and most contentious of more than a dozen ongoing Catholic Church bankruptcy cases in the U.S. related to sex abuse, according to Terence McKiernan, president of the nonprofit BishopAccountability.org. ….
“I remain very hopeful and committed to bringing this bankruptcy to a conclusion that benefits the survivors of abuse,” said New Orleans Archbishop Gregory M. Aymond in a Monday statement. “Please know that I pray for the survivors of abuse every day and look forward to the opportunity to meet with them to hear their stories…”
Aymond has resisted the chorus of survivors calling for his resignation over the church’s failure to take action on allegations against priests for decades. The accusations of archdiocese clergy abuse triggered a sweeping FBI probe and a cascading crisis for the Catholic Church, which drew on help from New Orleans Saints executives to help behind the scenes with damage control, an AP investigation revealed. https://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/new-orleans-archdiocese-agrees-230-million-settlement-clergy-125381349

“Unlocking Buried Secrets” is a story of surviving a multigenerational Satanic Cult/Mind Control/Masons. The book is an autobiography in chronological order of the abuse. “I left home at 16 yrs of age and began my healing process. My book is very graphic in nature describing the abuse that I endured. I have included a lot of nightmares, flashbacks and memories as well as some poetry that I wrote during the crisis period when I was flooded with memories and flashbacks. This book covers the abuse, traumatic memories, dissociation, mind control, brainwashing and programming. My book covers the ages of 6-33 yrs of age. I have used a pseudonym to ensure my privacy. My hope is that my story will inspire as well assist the survivor in his or her healing journey.” https://www.victoriousheartinc.ca/

Bishop Kortu Brown Calls for Africa-wide Campaign to End Ritualistic Killings at Pepperdine University Human Trafficking Colloquium in Nigeria October 27, 2025
Brewerville – Faith leaders have been challenged to become agents of change by organizing themselves into a Campaign across the Continent of Africa to ward-off the practice of ritualistic killing and human sacrifice.
The call was made by Bishop Kortu K. Brown, the president of Liberia Council of Churches in Lagos, Nigeria on Friday, October 24, 2025 during a 2-day Colloquium organized by the Sudreau Global Justice Institute at Pepperdine University based in California, USA and Nigeria’s Lagos State Ministry of Justice in the inaugural 2025 Africa Colloquium Against Human Trafficking: A United Front Against Ritual Abuse and Sacrifice.
Bishop Brown who spoke at the fourth session of the colloquium which was intended to explore the role of faith leaders and civil society in combating ritual abuse and sacrifice. The session examined the spiritual dimensions of the practice, including the influence of mysticism and the involvement of traditional healers, witch doctors and diviners in the act of ritual abuse and sacrifice….
“One of the elements of culture that trigger ritual abuse and sacrifice is the belief that the acts bring benefits”, he said, arguing that “many people believe that ritual abuse and sacrifice can bring them good fortunes, children, appease deities for opportunities, good harvest, victory during electoral processes, etc”
“In Liberia”, he argued, “every time there is an election, stories of ritualistic killings and missing people abound everywhere”. He referenced the campaign he led about four years ago in the country when reports of missing persons were being reported everywhere….

The organizers, in a statement to participants, hope that the event will mark a critical moment for the future of human trafficking on the African continent. The Executive Director of Sudreau Global Justice Institute, Prof. Cameron McCollum and Attorney General & Commissioner for Justice of Lagos State of Nigeria, Honorable Lawal Pedro San, FCIArb further hoped that the colloquium provided a space for leaders, advocates, practitioners and policymakers to develop strategies to eliminate ritual abuse and sacrifice in Africa and beyond.
The conference was attended by about 200 persons from more than 15 countries in Africa and the United States. The results of the colloquium will be analyzed and reviewed by participants to final a roadmap to deterring ritual abuse and sacrifice across the continent.
https://frontpageafricaonline.com/news/bishop-kortu-brown-calls-for-africa-wide-campaign-to-end-ritualistic-killings-at-pepperdine-university-human-trafficking-colloquium-in-nigeria/

Sanwo-Olu Leads African Leaders to Unite Against Human Trafficking, Ritual Abuse, Sacrifice 23 October. 2025
The Governor of Lagos State, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu has called on African leaders to form a united front against human trafficking, ritual abuse, and human sacrifice, as he declared open the Inaugural 2025 Africa Colloquium Against Human Trafficking, currently holding at the Radisson Blu Hotel between Thursday, 23rd to Friday, 24th October, 2025.
Speaking at the opening ceremony, the Governor, represented by the Secretary to the State Government, Barr. Abimbola Salu-Hundeyin, described the colloquium as a defining moment for Africa’s collective conscience, urging governments and communities to work together to dismantle the networks enabling human trafficking and ritual exploitation.
“This evil knows no boundaries. We must confront and defeat the dangerous myths that fuel ritual abuse – myths that wrongly link power or success to the taking of human life. Our people are not for sale, our children are not sacrifices, and our future will never be built on fear or blood,” he said….
Representing the Hon. Attorney-General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Prince Lateef Fagbemi, SAN, represented by Ezine Nwokoro, commended the organisers for addressing ritual trafficking, describing it as a “deeply disturbing layer” to human exploitation. He reaffirmed the Federal Government’s commitment to legislative reforms, stronger partnerships with NAPTIP, and enhanced international cooperation to prevent and prosecute trafficking in persons.
Delivering a keynote speech earlier, Lagos Attorney-General and Commissioner for Justice, Mr. Lawal Pedro, SAN, described the colloquium as a “continental call to conscience,” noting that ritual killings and trafficking have become organised, commercialised, and transnational crimes.
“Africa must rise; not in rhetoric but in responsibility, from prevention to prosecution, we must transform policies into laws and laws into action for the protection and rehabilitation of victims”, he said. He further revealed that between 2022 and 2024, over 4,700 victims of trafficking were rescued and supported in Lagos, while the State enacted the Organ Harvesting Prohibition Law (2024) to tackle the illegal trade in human organs for ritual and exploitative purposes….

Binta urged participants to break the culture of silence, strengthen victim support systems, and promote regional and global collaboration, adding that “the lives of our children, women, and men are too precious to be sacrificed at the altar of greed, culture, or superstition”.
Lagos Solicitor-General and Permanent Secretary, Mr. Hameed Oyenuga, called for a better framework that will protect the most vulnerable children, women and young people from exploitation.
The colloquium, themed: “A United Front Against Ritual Abuse and Sacrifice,” was convened by the Lagos State Ministry of Justice in collaboration with the Sudreau Global Justice Institute of Pepperdine University (USA) and supported by the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP).
The two-day colloquium will feature breakout sessions and discussions on the Foundation and identification of ritual abuse and Sacrifice, Victims and Survivors, Investigation and Prosecution, the role of faith leaders and Community and probable solutions in curbing the menace of Rituals abuse and human trafficking in Africa.
https://lagosstate.gov.ng/news/all/view/68fc7d1188319a643b69dfb5

Sex Abuse, Satanic Rites Described in Charges against Gilroy Foster Mom By Vicente Vera September 24, 2025 describes abuse allegations
A Gilroy day care operator stalked and sexually molested her foster child and engaged in Satanic rituals, according to allegations in court documents. Santa Clara County officials filed a July 31 criminal complaint that details the charges against Christina Jean Johnson, 60, who faces five 15 years-to-life sentences for oral copulation or sexual penetration of a child 10 years of age or younger…..
Court documents refer to the victim as “Jack Doe,” who told investigators Johnson punched his “weanie” and subjected him to digital penetration at least 20 times between Jan. 1, 2023 and Oct. 4, 2024. Doe told police his foster mother was “evil” and forced him to watch “creepy, weird sex” on TikTok during the sexual abuse. He also said his foster mother took him to a basement with candles, prayed to the devil and blew smoke on him—leading the 7-year-old to believe he was “possessed.”
After a court transferred custody of the child to his biological grandmother, who lives 300 miles away, Johnson rented a nearby apartment in a suburb of Redding, California to stalk him, prosecutors allege. While in Shasta County, Johnson left her Hastings Place day care business in the hands of unlicensed workers….
State officials closed the day care facility on June 29, 2024, after discovering an open pool gate and inexperienced workers, including a minor, supervising children. It was more than a year after the first complaints came in about Johnson, and months after her stalking arrest. The case caught the attention of Santa Clara County District Attorney Jeff Rosen’s office after Doe revealed new and more detailed accusations. Based on body-worn camera-recorded videos and interviews taken during his investigation, Gilroy police detective Michael Cupak detailed the trauma and behavioral changes in the child as a result of Johnson’s abuse….
The first complaint arrived at the Department of Social Services on April 28, 2023, more than two years ago. It alleged that Johnson made inappropriate comments to a child, and that a child was left unsupervised without an adult present. The licensing agency investigated but could not substantiate the complaint.

The following year, the home was subject of multiple complaints that included allegations of an unsafe environment and that the operator’s conduct posed a risk to children’s safety. No action was taken in response to the complaints.
However, during a routine annual inspection on May 10, 2024, the facility was cited for two technical violations: failing to document infant sleep check every 15 minutes and not completing mandated reporter training, which requires day care workers to report abuse to authorities.
In June 2024, a Notice of Closure for the Temporary Suspension Order was issued—five months after Johnson was jailed for two days on charges that she stalked the 7-year-old child and violated a no-contact order, then failed to inform regulatory officials of her arrest. https://www.sanjoseinside.com/news/sex-abuse-satanic-rites-described-in-charges-against-gilroy-foster-mom/

Ritual Abuse Online Conference - August 16 - 17 - Low Prices until June 14th.

 Ritual Abuse Online Conference - August 16 - 17 - Low Prices until June 14th.

SMART Ritual Abuse Online Conference -  Saturday and Sunday August 16 – 17, 2025

If you are interested in participating in our conference or getting on a mailing list, please write: smartnews@aol.com

Internet conference information: http://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/ 
Low Prices extended until June 14th.  Prices as low as $50.

Speakers will include:

Please use caution while reading this information.  It may be triggering for survivors.

“Masonic Themes and Trauma in the Novels of William Golding (1911–1993)” Lynn Brunet (PhD)

The English novelist William Golding is the author of Lord of the Flies (1954), a book that was studied by school children around the English-speaking world; his oeuvre of a further twelve novels cemented his reputation to the extent that he was awarded a Nobel Prize in Literature in 1983. But he was also an author who struggled with terrifying but inexplicable childhood experiences, so much so that they haunted his dreams right throughout his life. This talk will look at one of his novels, The Spire (1964), set in the Middle Ages with the building of a new spire on a cathedral, but where the foundations are completely inadequate to support it. Through a stream-of-consciousness technique, the novel shows the gradual psychological disintegration of the protagonist, the Dean whose lofty project this is. This talk will demonstrate that Golding has encoded into this novel multiple features of the Masonic Royal Arch rite. He also appears to be making connections between the Royal Arch rite and his own traumatic childhood memories. From this perspective The Spire can be seen to be a critique of the Church of England’s close connection with Freemasonry. His disdain for this link is summed up with his description of The Spire as “this great finger sticking up”.

Lynn Brunet (PhD) is an Australian art historian, artist and survivor of Masonic ritual abuse. Her research examines the coupling of trauma and ritual in modern and contemporary Western art and literature. In particular, it traces the connection between Masonic and other fraternal initiation rites and complex trauma in the work of so-called ‘tortured’ artists and writers.

Self’s Stony Soil, by Wendy Hoffman

A novella, written in free style poetry and flash fiction, Self’s Stony Soil is about the sexual trafficking of children. They are packed tight into cages, taken by airplanes to other countries, abused by politicians, the wealthy, royalty, and known people in the world. It tells the story of a child’s only friend, a doll, and how much she needed it. A trafficked person had amnesia until late in life. Remembering began the healing of deep scars. She began to find her true self. This is her story and unfortunately the story of many more. It is also about memory and healing from these horrendous acts. Wendy will talk about how the book came about and read from some of its passages.

Wendy Hoffman has published four memoirs: The Enslaved Queen, White Witch in a Black Robe, A Brain of My Own and After Amnesia. The Enslaved Queen has been translated and published in Germany. Her book of poetry, Forceps, was also published along with a book of essays, From the Trenches, co-authored with Dr. Alison Miller. Her second poetry book Belonging was nominated for the Eric Hoffer Book Award. The Theft, a novel, is forthcoming. She does consultations for therapists working in the field of dissociative disorders and presentations internationally.

Thirty Years of Publishing and Advocacy – Neil Brick

Neil Brick will discuss how and why he created the SMART Newsletter.  He will talk about how the newsletter and the field of ritual abuse have changed over the years. He will discuss the importance of advocacy and public education.  Ideas for the future growth of the field will be discussed.

Neil Brick is a survivor of ritualistic abuse. His work continues to educate the public about child abuse, trauma and ritualistic abuse crimes. His child abuse and ritualistic abuse newsletter S.M.A.R.T. https://ritualabuse.us  has been published for over 30 years. http://neilbrick.com 

SMART Ritual Abuse Online Conference - Saturday and Sunday August 16 – 17, 2025

 

SMART Ritual Abuse Online Conference -  Saturday and Sunday August 16 – 17, 2025

If you are interested in participating in our conference or getting on a mailing list, please write: smartnews@aol.com

Internet conference information: http://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/

Low Prices for the next two weeks.  Prices as low as $50. 

 

Speakers will include: 

Please use caution while reading this information.  It may be triggering for survivors.

Self’s Stony Soil, by Wendy Hoffman

A novella, written in free style poetry and flash fiction, Self’s Stony Soil is about the sexual trafficking of children. They are packed tight into cages, taken by airplanes to other countries, abused by politicians, the wealthy, royalty, and known people in the world. It tells the story of a child’s only friend, a doll, and how much she needed it. A trafficked person had amnesia until late in life. Remembering began the healing of deep scars. She began to find her true self. This is her story and unfortunately the story of many more. It is also about memory and healing from these horrendous acts. Wendy will talk about how the book came about and read from some of its passages.

Wendy Hoffman has published four memoirs: The Enslaved Queen, White Witch in a Black Robe, A Brain of My Own and After Amnesia. The Enslaved Queen has been translated and published in Germany. Her book of poetry, Forceps, was also published along with a book of essays, From the Trenches, co-authored with Dr. Alison Miller. Her second poetry book Belonging was nominated for the Eric Hoffer Book Award. The Theft, a novel, is forthcoming. She does consultations for therapists working in the field of dissociative disorders and presentations internationally.

Thirty Years of Publishing and Advocacy – Neil Brick

Neil Brick will discuss how and why he created the SMART Newsletter.  He will talk about how the newsletter and the field of ritual abuse have changed over the years. He will discuss the importance of advocacy and public education.  Ideas for the future growth of the field will be discussed.

Neil Brick is a survivor of ritualistic abuse. His work continues to educate the public about child abuse, trauma and ritualistic abuse crimes. His child abuse and ritualistic abuse newsletter S.M.A.R.T. https://ritualabuse.us has been published for over 30 years. http://neilbrick.com

Survivorship Conference: A Celebration of Strength and Resilience

 

Survivorship Conference: A Celebration of Strength and Resilience

 

Survivorship, an organization dedicated to helping survivors and co-survivors of child abuse, is celebrating the success of its online conference held this weekend, May 16-18, 2025. This conference is part of Survivorship's ongoing efforts to provide resources, education, and support for survivors of extreme abuse.

The conference featured presentations for both survivors and clinicians, covering topics like trauma and dissociation, complex trauma, and the effects of social movements on survivor support systems. Survivorship has been providing support for survivors for 36 years, offering resources, education, and conferences. The organization also offers discussion groups for survivors.

https://survivorship.org/the-survivorship-trafficking-and-extreme-abuse-online-conference-2025

"Progress made against Ritual Abuse in Scotland since 1980" by Laurie Matthew. Dr. Laurie Matthew OBE is the founder and Manager of Eighteen And Under an award-winning charity providing confidential support services to young people who have been abused. She is a founding member of MAIRSINN. https://www.mairsinn.org.uk/  https://www.18u.org.uk 

"Researching, Writing and Publishing about Masonic Ritual Abuse – What are the issues?" by Lynn Brunet. Lynn Brunet (PhD) is an Australian art historian whose research examines the coupling of trauma and ritual in modern and contemporary western art and literature. It traces the connection between Masonic and other fraternal initiation rites and complex trauma in the work of artists and writers. https://independent.academia.edu/LynnBrunet1 

"People Who Identify as Plural" by Randy Noblitt PhD. This presentation discusses the variety of circumstances where people may have the experience of multiple identities or selves. Randy Noblitt is a professor of Clinical Psychology at Alliant International University, Los Angeles and a licensed psychologist in Texas. He has evaluated and treated extreme abuse survivors clinically since 1979. https://ritualabuse.us/smart/randy-noblitt/ 

"Successful Investigations of Extreme Abuse Cases – The Role of Mental Health Professionals in Family Courts" by Dr. Rainer Hermann Kurz. Rainer Kurz is a Chartered Psychologist based in London. Since 1990 Rainer has worked in Research & Development roles for leading test publishers. His PhD dissertation was on enhancing the validity and utility of ability testing. https://independent.academia.edu/Rainer_Kurz 

"Ritualistic Abuse Survivors Difficulties Obtaining Services" by Neil Brick. Ritualistic abuse survivors have struggled to obtain adequate mental health and social support services. Neil Brick is a survivor of ritualistic abuse. His child and ritualistic abuse newsletter S.M.A.R.T. http://ritualabuse.us is published for 30 years. http://neilbrick.com 

Ritual Abuse Evidence https://survivorship.org/ritual-abuse-evidence/ 

Child Abuse Wiki - Ritual Abuse http://childabusewiki.org/index.php?title=Ritual_Abuse 

Survivorship Ritual and Child Abuse Conference Online Presentations https://survivorship.org/survivorship-ritual-abuse-and-child-abuse-conference-online-presentations/ 

 

The Survivorship Trafficking and Extreme Abuse Online Conference May 2024

 

The Survivorship Trafficking and Extreme Abuse Online Conference 2024

Survivor Conference - Saturday and Sunday May 4 - 5, 2024

Clinician's Conference - Friday May 3, 2024

https://survivorship.org/the-survivorship-trafficking-and-extreme-abuse-online-conference-2024

Special Low Prices:

Register and pay before April 20, 2024:

Fri: $150 - clinician’s conference

Sat: $100 regular price - $50 low income survivors

Sun: $100 regular price - $50 low income survivors

 

Conference Speakers

 

Recovery Tips for and by Survivors

Survivors and their helpers have developed a variety of techniques toward healing from traumatic experiences. This presentation will encourage an open discussion of these techniques. Techniques will include those used in individual and group therapy and in survivors’ personal lives. This will be an open discussion for survivors and their helpers. The moderators will be Dr. Randy Noblitt and Neil Brick.

 

Teaching Trauma and Dissociation in Higher Education

Randy Noblitt PhD

 

Clinicians can contribute to the well being of extreme abuse survivors directly by providing competent professional services. We can also assist by training graduate students who will become future clinicians. Folz and colleagues (2023) found deficits in trauma-informed training in their sample of 193 APA-accredited clinical psychology programs. Only 5% required a course relevant to trauma-informed care, resulting in only 8% of graduates receiving such formal training. We will discuss opportunities for being a college or university guest speaker, adjunct faculty and core faculty member. Participants will also discuss leading topics and trends in the contemporary trauma and dissociation literature.

 

Randy Noblitt is a professor of Clinical Psychology at Alliant International University, Los Angeles and a licensed psychologist in Texas. He has evaluated and treated extreme abuse survivors clinically since 1979. He has authored three editions of the book Cult and Ritual Abuse with Pam Noblitt (1995, 2000, 2014). Together they also edited Ritual Abuse in the 21st Century (2008) and they have authored a recent book, Navigating Social Security Disability Programs: A Handbook for Clinicians and Advocates (2020). https://ritualabuse.us/smart/randy-noblitt/

 

Tackling Complex Trauma Assessment Problems with Cybernetic Big 5 Theory Dr. Rainer Hermann Kurz

 

This presentation draws on contemporary personality assessment theory to illustrate opportunities and risks when using psychometric questionnaires in situations where extreme abuse has been alleged. DeYoung (2015) outlined a comprehensive ‘Cybernetic Big 5 Theory’ that revolves around the Five-Factor Model (FFM) of personality that psychologists converged on (e.g. Digman, 1990). Digman (1997) found that Conscientiousness, Agreeableness and Low Neuroticism form a meta-factor ‘Alpha’ whereas Extraversion and Openness form a meta-factor ‘Beta’. DeYoung refers to these as Stability and Plasticity respectively and associates them with serotonergic and dopaminergic systems. Furthermore, DeYoung differentiates two Aspects for each of the Big 5. Johnson (2014) developed public domain versions of the ‘gold standard’ Big 5 personality questionnaire NEO which can be used free-of-charge: https://drj.virtualave.net/IPIP/index.html

 

The application of NEO IPIP and NEO-PI-3 to challenge poor assessment practice in a case of alleged organized child sexual abuse/exploitation will be illustrated including item level nuances (Stewart et al., 2022). Another case study will illustrate results of a multi-tool assessment of a self-identified survivor of extreme abuse using the Big 5 as an organizing framework in line with Bainbridge et al. (2022). A third case study will illustrate the use of Great 8 Totals (Kurz, 2014) as a proxy for the General Factor of Personality (Musek, 2008), conceptually the opposite of the general factor of psychopathology (Forbes et al., 2021), to challenge misleading results on the Millon MCMI questionnaire. The presentation shows how Cybernetic Big 5 Theory can help to overcome complex psychological assessment practice problems.

 

Rainer Kurz is a Chartered Psychologist based in London. Since 1990 Rainer has worked in Research & Development roles for leading test publishers. His PhD dissertation was on enhancing the validity and utility of ability testing. Rainer developed 50+ psychometric tests and authored more than 100 publications. He is a Consultant Editor for Test Reviews at the Psychometric Testing Centre (PTC) of the BPS. Rainer has been investigating complex trauma assessment problems since 2012. He presented 30+ posters on trauma, dissociation and healing at international peer-reviewed conferences that are available here: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Rainer_Kurz2

 

Ritual Abuse, Sex Trafficking and Mind Control Neil Brick

 

This presentation will explain how ritual abuse, mind control, and different suggestive techniques work to control sex trafficking survivors (Karriker, 2008). The presenter will describe different historical examples of how mind control and ritual abuse have been used. Legal cases will also be discussed from various parts of the world (McGonigle, 1999; New York Times, 1988). Research studies, like the Extreme Abuse Survivors Survey, will be presented, as well as examples of different cults and their techniques (Hassan, 2018).

 

Mental health diagnoses, like Dissociative Identity Disorder and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, and their origins in sex trafficking survivors will be explained. The presenter will discuss his personal experiences of being in a cult as a child experiencing torture, sexual abuse, and mind control techniques. The forced development of these diagnoses and their symptoms will be connected to how they are used to control sex trafficking survivors. Ways to expose and prevent ritual abuse, mind control, and sex trafficking will be discussed. Finally, there will be a discussion of the future of advocacy efforts to stop ritual abuse, sex trafficking, and mind control.

 

Masonic Ritual Abuse: Its Characteristics, Prevalence and Expression in Western Art and Culture. Dr. Lynn Brunet

This presentation will examine the subject of Masonic ritual abuse. Based on the presenter’s personal experience and accumulated art historical research over the last two decades it asks a series of questions about its prevalence, how it is similar and different to other forms of ritual abuse, how it is expressed in art and culture and what its implications are for us today. Freemasonry is sometimes described as the ‘cult of the establishment’ and there is a great deal of material available about it and its rituals that can enable research into its practices, which is not necessarily the case for other cults.

 

The research, to date, suggests that the children of Freemasons are particularly vulnerable to abuse, but while they might be struggling internally with something inexplicably profound, disturbing or terrifying, they may not necessarily appear at a therapist’s office as many of them are encouraged by their abusers to express their trauma in creative ways. Driven to obsessively release the effects of the trauma, this can become a lifelong way of coping, resulting in the creation of cultural artefacts that are imbued with the traces of cruel ritual practices without the creators themselves being consciously aware of their source.

 

Uses of Art Therapy, Sensory Awareness and EMDR in Treating Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)  Patricia Quinn

 

This presentation will describe the fluid uses of art therapy, Sensory Awareness and EMDR in treating Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). The didactic portion will entail justification for using each modality, the benefit if the client being able to choose a treatment modality themselves, and examples of their clinical use with two clients with very different levels of access to memories of their past trauma. This effective, responsive healing approach will be useful for all counselors and therapists working in a variety of settings. The general descriptions of client responses may contain triggering content. The presentation contains a calming experiential that combines a body-based relaxation and use of art to counter-act traumatic memory.

 

We recommend that survivors bring a safe support person to the online conference who is familiar with the issues ritual abuse survivors may need help with.

 

None of the material on this page, on linked pages or at the conference is meant as therapy, or to take the place of therapy.

 

https://survivorship.org/the-survivorship-trafficking-and-extreme-abuse-online-conference-2024 

Feds bust leader of neo-Nazi cult - offshoot of the satanic group 764 to groom and exploit kids, Abuse at Northern California nonproft

 

Feds bust leader of neo-Nazi cult - offshoot of the satanic group 764 to groom and exploit kids.  "upon his arrest, admitted to law enforcement that he is the creator of "Cultist," a splinter group of the satanic anarchist organization known as "764," that targets children and uses child sexual abuse material and videos of animal cruelty, self-harm, and other extreme acts of violence."

 

- Feds bust leader of neo-Nazi cult who used Discord and Telegram to groom and exploit children

 

- Six men allege ‘rampant, unceasing sexual abuse’ at secluded Northern California nonprofit

 

Feds bust leader of neo-Nazi cult who used Discord and Telegram to groom and exploit children Katherine Tangalakis-Lippert Dec 18, 2023

Kalana Limkin was arrested Friday in Hawaii for possession of child pornography as part of an FBI investigation into an online satanic cult using social media platforms Discord and Telegram to recruit victims.
The leader of an online cult was arrested Thursday for possession of child sexual abuse material.
Kalana Limkin, prosecutors say, founded an offshoot of the satanic group 764 to groom and exploit kids.
Limkin shared child abuse images and recruited victims via Telegram and Discord, per court filings.
The leader of a racist pedophile cult was arrested late last week following a seven-month-long investigation by the FBI into a network of Telegram and Discord servers dedicated to spreading neo-Nazi ideology and exploiting children, according to court documents reviewed by Business Insider.

The initial complaint, which the court unsealed on December 15, indicates Kalana Limkin of Hawaii has been the subject of a criminal investigation since May and, upon his arrest, admitted to law enforcement that he is the creator of "Cultist," a splinter group of the satanic anarchist organization known as "764," that targets children and uses child sexual abuse material and videos of animal cruelty, self-harm, and other extreme acts of violence to "accelerate chaos in society."

"The group functions together as a coordinated unit by using Discord and Telegram as vessels to desensitize vulnerable populations through sharing extreme gore and child sexual abuse material ("CSAM"), with the purpose of breaking down societal norms and normalizing explicit material to corrupt minors and groom them towards future violence," according to a motion to detain Limkin without bail while he awaits trial....
Limkin is accused in the complaint of posting at least six images of child sexual abuse material on Discord servers, as well as exploiting a minor he first met through the now-defunct site Omegle, which shuttered earlier this year, just days after it settled a civil claim regarding sexual abuse on the platform.
Per the complaint, Limkin showed the girl a graphic video of sexual abuse against a child, asked her for photos of herself in her underwear, and told her he had a collage of pictures of girls he had manipulated into cutting his name into their bodies.

During an interview with law enforcement, the complaint indicates Limkin admitted to "asking minor females to send him nude photographs of themselves and receiving child pornography links and images via his Discord server, 'Cultist.'" Per court documents, he also admitted to having child pornography files that were stored in his phone and truck....

A network of exploitative online cults

The 764 group that Limkin based his Cultist faction on is itself an offshoot of The Order of Nine Angles (O9A), which, according to the complaint, "espouses the belief that society must be destroyed from within. O9A encourages members to engage in criminal acts, including violence, sexual assault, murder, and terrorism, to accelerate and cause the demise of Western society."

"O9A advocates 'culling,' a form of human sacrifice, to eliminate Jews, people of color, and others deemed to be inferior under their Social Darwinist views, as well as rape and sexual assault as a means of asserting domination, breaking social norms, and propagating the expansion of the white race," according to the complaint against Limkin. "O9A embraces terrorism, including radical Islamic jihadist ideology and the violent tactics of jihadist groups, such as the Islamic State of Iraq and al-Sham ("ISIS") and al Qaeda, as a means to accelerate the decline of Western society and to attack Jewish people in particular."
The FBI warned the public about 764 and similar groups in September, saying they use online platforms to target youth between the ages of 8 and 17 — especially LGBTQ+ youth and racial minorities — using blackmail, threats, and manipulation to get them to record or live-stream self-harm, sex acts, "and/or suicide," adding that members circulated the footage to further extort and control their victims.

In their motion to deny bail, prosecutors indicated the weight of the evidence against Limkin is "substantial."
"The defendant has in fact confessed to the crime of possessing child pornography. Further, he admitted to being the creator of 'Cultist,' which he acknowledged promotes self-harm and cutting," the motion reads. "The defendant also admitted that he had asked minor females to send him nude photographs of themselves. This evidence demonstrates the United States' case against the defendant is formidable, making the defendant's conviction quite likely."....
https://www.businessinsider.com/feds-bust-nazi-cult-telegram-discord-grooming-exploit-children-2023-12 

 

Six men allege ‘rampant, unceasing sexual abuse’ at secluded Northern California nonprofit By Andrew J. Campa Dec. 21, 2023

They were searching for spiritual awakening and enlightenment. Instead, the six men were subject to “rampant, unceasing sexual abuse” by their spiritual guide, in concert with members of a controversial religious group and workers at an award-winning Northern California winery, the men allege in court documents.

The unnamed plaintiffs filed a lawsuit Friday in Yuba County against the Fellowship of Friends — a nonprofit religious group described by some as a cult — along with its founder and spiritual teacher, Robert Earl Burton, and its Renaissance Vineyard and Winery.

Fellowship of Friends bills itself as an organization that helps members reach their true potential, an upscale throwback to the erstwhile Bay Area communes that separated participants from society so they could pursue self-realization. Former Fellowship members, however, allege the group is really a cult of personality masquerading as a nonprofit, and that its true purpose is to satisfy Burton’s sexual needs. Their civil complaint seeks damages for 15 alleged violations, including gender violence, human trafficking, sexual assault and battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. The plaintiffs are also asking for a trial by jury....
https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2023-12-21/six-men-allege-sexual-abuse-fellowship-of-friends 
 

Catholic priest sentenced to life for sex trafficking boys, Understanding Human Trafficking

 

Catholic priest sentenced to life for sex trafficking boys, manipulating opioid addictions Eduardo Cuevas USA TODAY Nov. 19, 2023

An Ohio priest was sentenced to life in prison Friday after he was convicted of grooming three boys and taking advantage of their opioid addictions to force them into commercial sex, according to the U.S. Justice Department.

In May, a federal jury in Toledo found the Rev. Michael Zacharias, a Roman Catholic clergy member, guilty of five counts of sex trafficking in allegations that spanned 15 years, from July 2005 to August 2020. Prosecutors said he abused his role as a teacher and priest at a Toledo parish school to groom the three boys into adulthood, force them into sex and enable their addictions to pain medications and heroin later in life.
“Michael Zacharias used his position as a trusted spiritual leader and role model for young boys and their families to exploit them in the most insidious ways, coercing his victims from childhood and beyond to engage in commercial sex with him,” said Kristen Clarke, the assistant attorney general of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division, in a statement.
Testimony and evidence at trial showed Zacharias developed relationships with the victims' families when they were young to gain their trust, prosecutors said. As the victims got older, he exploited their fears, their housing instability and their criminal records to force them into commercial sex....
https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2023/11/18/catholic-priest-life-sentence-sex-trafficking-ohio/71639846007/

 

Understanding Human Trafficking
“Trafficking in persons,” “human trafficking,” and “modern slavery” are umbrella terms – often used interchangeably – to refer to a crime whereby traffickers exploit and profit at the expense of adults or children by compelling them to perform labor or engage in commercial sex. When a person younger than 18 is used to perform a commercial sex act, it is a crime regardless of whether there is any force, fraud, or coercion involved.

The United States recognizes two primary forms of trafficking in persons: forced labor and sex trafficking. The basic meaning of these forms of human trafficking and some unique characteristics of each are set forth below, followed by several key principles and concepts that relate to all forms of human trafficking....

International Labour Organization

The International Labour Organization (ILO) and the Walk Free Foundation, in partnership with the International Organization for Migration (IOM), released Global Estimates of Modern Slavery in September 2022. This report estimates that, at any given time in 2021, approximately 27.6 million people were in forced labor. Of these, “17.3 million are exploited in the private sector, 6.3 million in forced commercial sexual exploitation, and 3.9 million in forced labour imposed by state.” The definition of forced labor used in this report is based on ILO Forced Labour Convention, 1930 (No. 29), which states in Article 2.1 that forced labor is “all work or service which is exacted from any person under the menace of any penalty and for which the said person has not offered himself voluntarily.”

This report also estimates that 49.6 million people were in “modern slavery” at any given time in 2021, but this figure includes both the estimate for forced labor and an estimate for forced marriage. Consistent with current implementation of U.S. law, it is recommended to use only the 27.6 million estimate when referring to human trafficking. While some instances of forced marriage may meet the international or U.S. legal definition of human trafficking, not all cases do. Note further that the term “modern slavery” is not defined in international or U.S. law.
https://www.state.gov/humantrafficking-about-human-trafficking/