Repressed Memories of Ritualistic and Religion - Related Child Abuse

The possibility that victims of child abuse can repress or otherwise lose memories of early traumatic experiences and then recover them years later is currently the subject of heated debate (Alpert et al., 1996). Concerns about false memories are particularly intense in cases involving repressed memory of alleged acts of satanic ritual abuse (Wright, 1994). Allegations of ritual abuse, which often arise in the context of psychotherapy (Bottoms, Shaver, & Goodman, 1996), typically include descriptions of bizarre, horrendous acts such as murder, torture, and sacrifice of humans and animals; cannibalism; and baby breeding to supply the sacrificial needs ofsatanic cults (e. Claims of repressed memory of religion-related abuse (e.g., sexual abuse by Catholic priests) have also resulted in controversial legal cases. Both types of repressed memory claims have been the source of a backlash against child protection services and clinical psychology and psychiatry. Nevertheless, few studies directly examine the ~harac. teristics of ritual and religion-related repressed memory cases, the Circumstances under which such memories are "recovered," the amount of evidence available to support claims of ritual and religion-related abuse, and the belief systems and training ofclinicians who trust clients' repressed memory reports. In the present chapter, we address these issues by discussing the results of two nationwide surveys that probed claims of repressed memory of satanic ritual and religion-rehited abuse. To provide a context for understanding allegations of ritualistic and religion-related abuse in repressed memory cases, we begin with a brief discussion of what we currently know about repressed memory and ritual abuse. We then address the topic of repressed memories of religion-related abuse. Next, we present the results of our initial survey, thereby providing a profile of cases involving allegations of repressed memories of ritual and religion-related abuse and detailing the nature of such cases. Finally, we describe the results of a second survey, one that concerned the belief systems and training ofclinicians who deal with repressed memory cases. This chapter does not answer the ultimate question of the validity of repressed memory or abuse allegations. However, the findings from our surveys are relevant to understanding how such allegations emerge and the extent of evidence for them. We use the term "repressed memory" to describe a situation in which it is alleged, by a clinician and/or the clinician's client, that a traumatic childhood event was temporarily or permanently forgotten. We realize that the specific psychodynamic mechanism of repression might …