In all States and Canadian provinces, there are laws against particular physical acts committed during ritual abuse. These include murder, rape, sexual contact with children, kidnapping, assault and battery, cruelty to animals, vandalism, and defilement of corpses. Other countries have laws against most, if not all, of these actions. In some States, additional penalties can be imposed if it can be proved that the criminal act was motivated by hate of a particular group.

Any ideology can be twisted or adapted to abusive ends. In the United States, Canada, and Europe, people have reported being ritually abused under the banner of satanism, Christianity, various pagan and pantheistic belief systems, white supremacy movements, nazism, Santeria, voodoo, etc. At the present time, satanism is either the most common ideology under which rit-ual abuse is practiced, or it is receiving the most attention.

Please remember that abusive groups steal, pervert and mock the holidays of legitimate religions. This does not mean that all people who observe these holidays are abusive. Pagans, in particular, are subject to prejudice, and it is important to realize that the vast majority of modern pagans are loving and non-abusive. It is not their fault that abusive groups choose to defile their sacred days.

First, abusive groups have a very large stake in remaining undetected, and they keep their se-crets well. Second, abusive groups terrorize their victims into silence. And third, society as a whole does not want to believe that its norms and laws have been so blatantly and extremely vio-lated, so society turns its back in denial.

Most symptoms are non-specific to ritual abuse. Trauma is trauma, and physical and sexual abuse are physical and sexual abuse. Because the abuse is so severe, the symptoms may be especially severe and recalcitrant. Symptoms that are suggestive of ritual abuse are either a fascination with or a phobia of objects, events, or symbols specific to ritual abuse and not generally encountered in other types of physical and sexual abuse.

A ritual is an action that has symbolic meaning. It may be private, like taking a good luck charm to an exam, or public (socially shared), like saluting the flag. Rituals may be reserved for rare occasions such as births, unions, deaths, changes of social status; or may be used daily, for example, saying grace or gesundheit, kissing a child goodnight. Ritual abuse is the abuse of a child, weaker adult, or animal in a ritual setting or manner.

Ritual abuse is perpetrated by men and women from all walks of life and geographical areas, both rural and urban. The percent of the population that perpetrates or that is victimized is unknown. Family or Transgenerational: Adults, who were abused as children, in turn abuse and indoctrinate their own children. The tradition can go back for generations. Extra-familiar: Adults abuse non-related children. Children can be accessed at day care, schools, church, or through social groups.

All wildlife listed as protected under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act are protected and people who hurt or abuse these animals face fines and/or jail time. The only exceptions are two species of introduced species (species brought to this country after 1950). They are English sparrows and European Starlings. Pigeons are domestic and are protected as private property if they are banded. Otherwise, they are not protected as a migratory bird.

It is repeated mistreatment or neglect of a child by parent(s) or other guardian resulting in injury or harm. Under California Law, child abuse is a crime. Children need protection because they are vulnerable and often unable to speak for themselves. The California Child Abuse Reporting Law, along with other state laws, provides the legal basis for action to protect children and allow intervention by public agencies if a child is maltreated.

is the child still in danger or in need of medical care? No two reports are handled in exactly the same way. Decisions by all the people involved are based on each child's situation. Even reports on two children in the same family may be handled differently. The agency receiving the report will determine how to proceed based on the information available. All reports which describe situations that fall within statutory definitions of abuse/neglect will receive a response.

Yes. There is more to an abusive relationship then bruises and black eyes. There is so much more. The common types of abuse are: Spousal abuse (domestic violence), psychological abuse, child abuse, sexual abuse, and many others. For more detailed information on this question, look through the "many forms of abuse and their effects" section of this site.

this site, we have many different methods of healing the wounds that an abusive relationship can leave. We have a group of friendly people, with similar experiences, to provide comfort and support during the rough times; and to share in the joy and laughter of the good times. We have a detailed state-by-state list of hotlines and shelters that you can refer to if you need help. Remember, we are not doctors or counselors, just fellow victims with a friendly shoulder to cry on.