Posted by kinda gentler on February 11, 2004 at 17:31:10
In Reply to: Organized abuse & Ritual abuse: What do you think? posted by writer on February 11, 2004 at 10:36:23:
I would say that at the time that I left, as far as rank and file went, the signs of the times and what was to come was written on the wall. I think that once combos started and sharing schedules and such that it was definitely ritualized. In some top homes, it probably was already before I left. Some key differences are that some parents had little information about what was occurring with their children. And those administering abusive actions were often victims of the abuser Berg and co. themselves, but it took the real "sold out" to do what was reported from some combos.
What is perhaps even more abusive than ritual abuse is where abuse occurred across the board and was programmed as being the "good" thing to do that was "unselfish" and "sacrificial". Other groups that have ritualistic abuses that occur have abusers that know that what they are doing is morally wrong and are sadistic by nature.
This is not to say that there are not family members who were like that in their hearts before they joined. Especially if they joined after FFing and sexualization of children. These are just some of my thoughts. It does not excuse any that did any form of abuse from coming clean about it and admitting their wrongs, even when it was coerced. That is part of coming to terms with regrettable actions for people that have a conscience and might otherwise commit suicide when faced with the reality of what they were involved in.