Posted by writer on February 11, 2004 at 10:36:23
"Organized or multiple abuse may be defined as abuse involving more than one abuser and a number of related or non-related children and young people. The abusers concerned may be acting in concert to abuse children, or may be using an institutional framework or position of authority to recruit children for abuse."
"Organized or multiple abuse occur both as part of a network of abuse across a family or community, and within institutions such as residential homes and schools. Such abuse is profoundly traumatic for the children who become involved."
Working Together Under the Children Act 1989, U.K. Department of Health (1998: 6.23-24)
Ritual abuse is that which "occurs in a context linked to some symbols or group activity that have a religious, magical or supernatural connotation, and where the involvcation of these symbols or activities, repeated over time, is used to frighten and intimidate the children." (1998. Finkelhor, David, Williams, M.L., and Burns, N. Nursery Crimes: Sexual Abuse in Day Care. p. 59)
Was the abuse that occurred in Family homes closer to "organized" or did it actually have the features necessary to classify it as "ritual" abuse?