Page 51 - Forensic News Journal Jan Feb 2018

Three Faces of Satanic Ritual Abuse

cide, abducted and miss- from 1986 to 1989 Dr. abused in the study were
ing children and family Finkelhor devised and actively victimized using

violence. His verbalized implemented a study in elements of RA. Given the
primary endeavor is to one day care agencies nation- diversity and complexity

day empirically validat- wide. At the time, SRA of RA and SRA, Dr. Fin-
ing child sexual abuse is was frequently covered by kelhor and his colleagues
widespread and painfully national media, involved moved to subdivide the

affecting children from all in court room battles, and cases into three catego-
parts of the globe. rampant throughout the ries. Of the 13%, all had

country and abroad. It engaged in child abuse,
Child Victimization (Ox- was Dr. Finkelhor and his but their profiles and mo-
ford University Press, colleagues who devised tivations were somewhat

2/6/08), is one of Dr. Fin- a methodology to assess different. He and his team
kelhor’s greatest accom- whether RA and SRA determined the perpetra-

plishments as an author were realistic criminal tors modus operandi en-
to date. In this treatise, he events or dramatic hoax. tailed different themes.
combines and integrates Their research was funded

his knowledge and expe- by the National Center on A. True cult-based ritual-
riences in a conceptual Child Abuse and Neglect ism, B. Pseudo-ritualism,

construct he coined De- and results were pub- and C. Psychological
velopmental Victimology. lished in the book Nursery ritualism. Although his
Under his concept of De- Crimes: Sexual Abuse initial research query for

velopmental Victimology, in Day Care (Sage Pub- the national study was
he incorporates all forms lications, January 1988) to determine if day care

of childhood victimization coauthored by Linda M. agencies were high risk
into a unified analysis for Williams Ph.D., and con- environments for children,
education, treatment, and tributions by Nanci Burns. his results and categori-

prevention professionals. zation of SRA/RA were
A brief review of his cur- In an executive summary valuable. As an expert so-

riculum vitae posted at the of their findings, Dr. Fin- ciologist with impeccable
University of New Hamp- kelhor reported RA was credentials, Dr. Finkelhor
shire’s website exempli- defined as abuse involv- introduced to the SRA/

fies his accomplishments ing supernatural symbols, RA industry three faces
on child sexual abuse and activities, and religious of Satanic Ritual Abuse.

pediatric victimization. themes. He estimated 13 Although criticized for his
Regarding SRA and RA, % of children found to be data collection,

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