25th SMART Survivors’ Conference

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NEWS PROVIDED BYSMART Newsletter and Conferences 

Jun 15, 2022, 08:15 ET

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EASTHAMPTON, Mass., June 15, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Online Conference August 20 – 21, 2022

The 2022 Online Annual Ritual Abuse, Secretive Organizations and Mind Control Conference August 20 – 21, 2022

http://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/ 

30 Years of Ritual Abuse, Mind Control and Dissociation – Valerie Sinason

In 1989 a Swedish psychologist, Anders Svensson rang me for help at the Tavistock Clinic in London. He was a psychologist working with a woman with intellectual disability who reported abuse.  Three decades later, how much has changed?  

Valerie Sinason is a poet, writer, retired child psychotherapist, and adult psychoanalyst. She helped to pioneer the field of disability psychotherapy. She is also the founder director and now patron of the Clinic for Dissociative Studies in London and has worked extensively with severely traumatised individuals suffering from dissociative identity disorder. https://ritualabuse.us/smart/valerie-sinason/

The Modern False Memory Syndrome Movement in the United States – Neil Brick

The modern FMS movement borrows most of its history, techniques, and research from prior false memory movements. These erroneous theories include memory implantation into survivors’ minds by therapist and pseudoscientific theories.

Neil Brick is a survivor of ritual abuse and mind control. His child abuse and ritual abuse newsletter S.M.A.R.T. https://ritualabuse.us  has been published for over 27 years. http://neilbrick.com

A History of Ritual Abuse – Dr. Randy Noblitt

This two-hour presentation traces the history of ritual abuse, and critically evaluates the chronology and evolution of this topic in the scholarly literature.   

Randy Noblitt is a clinical psychologist and professor of clinical psychology at the California School of Professional Psychology (CSPP) at Alliant International University, Los Angeles.

Should I seek freedom? Should I go through with recovery? A workshop to help you decide and a discussion of its benefits – Wendy Hoffman

Wendy Hoffman had amnesia for most of her life. When she regained memory, she wrote books about her forgotten life. Wendy has published three memoirs.

The 20th Anniversary of the Ritual Abuse Network Scotland (RANS) – Dr. Laurie Matthew OBE

Laurie will talk about the Ritual Abuse Network Scotland and share the experience of 20 years of setting up services and supporting survivors of ritual abuse in Scotland.

Dr. Laurie Matthew OBE is founder and Manager of Eighteen And Under an award winning charity providing confidential support services to young people who have been abused.   www.18u.org.uk    www.violenceispreventable.org.uk 

Proof That Ritual Abuse Exists https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/

Research and Information on Dissociative Identity Disorder (formerly called Multiple Personality Disorder) https://ritualabuse.us/research/did/

The Survivorship Ritual Abuse and Mind Control 2022 Online Conference

The Survivorship Ritual Abuse and Mind Control 2022 Online Conference Special Low Prices Until May 14th – Please write us as soon as possible for special deals. The International Evidence of Ritual Abuse Conference  Clinician’s Conference – Friday May 20, 2022 – “Exposing Ritual Abuse Internationally.” The clinical conference will present empirical evidence of ritual abuse and complex trauma. Survivor Conference – Saturday and Sunday May 21 – 22, 2022 – The weekend survivor conference for survivors and their supporters will discuss breaking the global silence of ritual abuse and will provide resources and support for survivors. Conference information is at: https://survivorship.org/the-survivorship-ritual-abuse-and-mind-control-2022-conference/ Conference Speakers Survivors may want to use caution reading this material or read it with a safe support person.  Organized Ritual Violence in Germany – Claudia Fischer and Hannah C. Rosenblatt In May 2017 we opened up a German website (https://www.infoportal-rg.de) with cases and evidence for organized ritual abuse and violence. We collect verdicts and publicly proven cases of cults that are involved in sexual violence and ideologically based homicides. In our presentation, we will share the concept and obstacles of this website, share information about the survivors’ community in Germany, give some examples of German cases and the state of public discussion in Germany Claudia Fischer is a German journalist (TV, radio, print and online) with 20 years of expertise in investigating stories about ritual abuse and sexual trauma. She invented the https://www.infoportal-rg.de website. She coordinates a group of survivors and other experts (lawyers, therapists, social workers) behind this project as chief editor. Hannah C. Rosenblatt is a German survivor of organized violence. After their freeing, they started documenting their life with DID at einblogvonvielen.org which was followed by the podcast “Viele-Sein” in 2015. They educate about trauma and violence against people with disabilities, fight for needs-based psychotherapy and assist Claudia Fischer in the Infoportal project. Should I seek freedom? Should I go through with recovery? A workshop to help you decide and a discussion of its benefits – Wendy Hoffman If you’re living as an unaware mind controlled victim, you’re living in a vapor, seeing yourself and life through an indistinct veil of mist. You have strong emotions that can break through numbness, but you don’t know who you are or why you react the ways you do. You may also feel trapped in hurtful and unloving relationships and not able to mature into who you really are. All that can be changed if you are willing to go through with a recovery. It is hard work. It can be exhilarating. The enemy group will try to stop you. But if you want, you can find out who you are and what your life has been and can be in the future. This presentation explores some of the benefits of relinquishing slavery and learning who you are. Self-knowledge is the way out. Wendy Hoffman had amnesia for most of her life. When she regained memory, she wrote books about her forgotten life. Wendy has published three memoirs, The Enslaved Queen, White Witch in a Black Robe and in 2020, A Brain of My Own. The Enslaved Queen has been translated into German. Her book of poetry, Forceps, was also published along with a book of essays, From the Trenches, written with Alison Miller. Her most recent memoir, After Amnesia, is published on the SmartNews website. It is presently being translated into German. What gives her life meaning is helping other surviving victims. Complex Trauma Assessment Problems – Dr. Rainer Hermann Kurz This presentation addresses serious assessment issues related to complex trauma in an extreme abuse setting that had life changing consequences. Many of the incidents observed by Becker, Karriker, Overkamp, & Rutz (2008) in their Extreme Abuse Survey (EAS) apply to this case. In a court setting the textbook of Miller (2012) and the Epstein, Schwartz & Schwartz (2011) book of UK case vignettes were drawn upon to explain the ‘unbelievable’ sequence of events that had unfolded. An Advocate’s Journey into Extreme Abuse – Dr. Rainer Hermann Kurz This presentation provides an autobiographical account of advocacy in a case of global significance. A mother emailed a warning to the advocate in his multiple roles as a psychologist, faith leader, and family man. She alleged that her father sexually assaulted her toddler son (i.e. his grandson) and that authority representatives took her child into care as three Psychiatrists had found her ‘delusional.’ On a final session with a 4th court appointed expert (a Clinical Psychologist) the advocate was allowed to sit in the back of a session and found the mother reasonable, clear, and fluent in her responses. Disclosures before and after the session raised the possibility that the mother was a victim of Child Sexual Abuse (CSA), and that the sexual assault was meticulously planned to re-victimise her, destroy her credibility as a potential witness/complainant, and gain control of the toddler. Rainer Kurz is a Chartered Psychologist based in London. Since 1990 Rainer has worked in Research & Development roles for leading test publishers. His PhD dissertation was on enhancing the validity and utility of ability testing. Rainer developed 50+ psychometric tests and authored more than 100 publications. He is a Consultant Editor for Test Reviews at the Psychometric Testing Centre (PTC) of the BPS. In an entirely private volunteer advocate capacity Rainer has been investigating a chilling ‘Child Smuggling’ case since 2012. He presented 30+ posters on trauma, dissociation and healing at international peer-reviewed conferences that are available here: https://www.researchgate.net/profile/Rainer_Kurz2 Ritual Abuse Survivors Experience of Research – Dr. Laurie Matthew OBE This presentation will explore the background and ongoing work of two survivor led and innovative non-profit organisations based in Scotland. Ritual Abuse Network Scotland (RANS) has provided support and information to adult survivors of ritual abuse for 20 years now and Eighteen And Under has worked for almost 30 years with young abuse survivors who are under 18. Both organisations have been at the frontier of raising awareness about ritual abuse in the UK and beyond. She will also share findings from recent research investigating ritual abuse survivors’ experiences when seeking help from agencies and research exploring the needs of young abuse survivors for confidential services. The importance of survivor led participatory research will also be discussed in the presentation.  Dr. Laurie Matthew OBE is founder and Manager of Eighteen And Under an award winning charity providing confidential support services to young people who have been abused. She is also a founder member and advisor to Izzy’s Promise the UK’s leading charity for survivors of organised and ritual abuse and of the Ritual Abuse Network Forum (RANS). She is the author of several books about ritual abuse and the Violence Is Preventable abuse prevention programmes for children and young people. She has over 40 years experience of directly supporting abuse survivors. Her recently published research has included participatory research with adult ritual abuse survivors and participatory research with young survivors of sexual abuse who were unknown to authorities. www.18u.org.uk  www.violenceispreventable.org.uk A History of Ritual Abuse – Dr. Randy Noblitt This two-hour presentation traces the history of ritual abuse, and critically evaluates the chronology and evolution of this topic in the scholarly literature. We will review and discuss the definition of ritual abuse from the APA Dictionary of Psychology along with other definitions and conceptualizations. We will consider ritual abuse allegations in the context of the backlash movement to including the false memory syndrome and sociocognitive theories. We will review contemporary international allegations of ritual abuse, also exploring historic accounts of ritual abuse. We will examine the frequently noted psychological sequelae in ritual abuse. Randy Noblitt is a clinical psychologist and professor of clinical psychology at the California School of Professional Psychology (CSPP) at Alliant International University, Los Angeles. He is the principle author of Navigating Social Security Disability Programs: A Handbook for Clinicians and Advocates (2020) as well as Cult and Ritual Abuse: Narratives, Evidence and Healing Approaches, 3rd Edition (2014). He is the co-editor and a contributor to Ritual Abuse in the Twenty-first Century: Psychological, Forensic, Social and Political Considerations (2008). Healing from Trauma by Shelby Rising Eagle Shelby will discuss the steps she took to heal from her childhood trauma. “Your healing is for you to pursue and claim. Each and every one of you has your path to walk and you have it inside you to heal. It may work or it may not, but either way as your path unfolds you will get there.” Shelby Rising Eagle was born in the SF Bay Area raised in the Mormon Church. Mother was a multi-generational Mormon; father was a convert. She reports both parents participated in satanic worship, pedophile sex ring in the church. She has done over 20 years of recovery work. She is the writer of two books – How Would You Know? & How Would You Know My Whole Story? She owns and operates a Martial Arts School and is a Master in her style of martial arts and now testing for her 6th degree black belt. She is a master gardener and loves growing vegetables and flowers. She does workshops with therapists on working with victims with DID and the recovery process. She practices meditation for centering her life and progress towards a better life. She is committed to helping to up lift others in their recovery work. She teaches that everyone that they can recover and claim their life back from extreme abuse. We recommend that survivors bring a safe support person to the online conference who is familiar with the issues ritual abuse survivors may need help with. None of the material on this page, on linked pages or at the conference is meant as therapy, or to take the place of therapy. Four Continuing Education credits are available to licensed clinicians at the Friday Clinicians’ Conference:  The Institute on Violence, Abuse and Trauma (IVAT) is approved by the American Psychological Association (APA) to sponsor continuing education for psychologists. Institute on Violence, Abuse, and Trauma (IVAT) maintains responsibility for this continuing education program and its content. The California Board of Behavioral Sciences (BBS) now accepts American Psychological Association (APA) continuing education credit for license renewal for LCSWs, LMFTs, LPCCs, and LEPs. Institute on Violence, Abuse, and Trauma (IVAT) is approved by the California Board of Registered Nurses to offer continuing education for nurses (CEP #13737). Institute on Violence, Abuse, and Trauma (IVAT) is approved by the State Bar of California to offer Minimum Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) for attorneys (#11600). Institute on Violence, Abuse, and Trauma (IVAT) is approved by the California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals (CCAPP) to sponsor continuing education for certified alcohol and drug counselors (Provider #1S-03-499-0223). Survivorship is one of the oldest and most respected organizations supporting survivors of extreme child abuse, including sadistic sexual abuse, ritualistic abuse, mind control, and torture. Survivorship provides resources, healing, and community for survivors; training and education for professionals who may serve survivors; and support for survivors’ partners and other allies. The organization functions as a lifeline for survivors who may be isolated emotionally or geographically. Through community outreach and training, Survivorship also raises awareness about these difficult issues.

Survivorship | 881 Alma Real Drive , Suite 311, Pacific Palisades, CA 94612

Trauma Crime Expose – 2021 Conference Video Presentations/PowerPoints

Trauma Crime Expose – 2021 Conference Video Presentations/PowerPoints

Neil Brick, Wendy Hoffman, Laurie Matthew, Sarah Nelson

SMART reports that this year’s Child/Ritual Abuse and Mind Control Conference
was very successful.

2021 Conference Video Presentations and PowerPoints
https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2021-conference/2021-conference-video-presentations-and-powerpoints/

The 2021 Online Annual Ritual Abuse and Mind Control Conference
https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/

Ritual Abuse in the UK – Dr Laurie Matthew OBE https://youtu.be/st9kYo5s7GY
Transcript of PowerPoint
https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2021-conference/ritual-abuse-in-the-uk-laurie-matthew/

Survivors of ritual and organised abuse have increasingly broken silence to protect children, raise awareness, challenge abusers and institutions and demand services for recovery with varying success worldwide. Her presentation focused on the challenges, experiences and perspectives of ritual abuse survivors in the UK and parts of Europe.

Deliberate Disinformation in the Orkney ritual child abuse case – Dr. Sarah Nelson OBE https://youtu.be/Nwk2Jz4nclY
Transcript
https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2021-conference/deliberate-disinformation-in-the-orkney-ritual-child-abuse-case-sarah-nelson/

The Orkney child abuse case had its 30th anniversary in February this year of nine children being removed into care in “dawn raids” by police and social workers. After claims about strange outdoor rituals and organised sexual abuse, grounds for action against their middle class parents and a clergyman referred to “group sexual activity, including ritualistic music, dancing and dress.” Six weeks later a Scots sheriff called the charges “fatally flawed” and dismissed the case without even hearing the evidence.

Mind Control and How to Stop it – Neil Brick https://youtu.be/dOGq-z9l4KA
Transcript of PowerPoint
https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2021-conference/mind-control-and-how-to-stop-it-neil-brick/
This presentation explained how mind control and different suggestive techniques work in a variety of individual and public settings. These included interpersonal relationships, abusive relationships, ritual abuse settings, social media, political manipulation and hypnosis.

Self-Esteem – Wendy Hoffman https://youtu.be/MSdXT2q5Q_4 from the Survivorship Conference 2021

Programming turns you away from your true self. Programmers and even satanic families do everything they can to make their victims feel bad about themselves, debasing them in every way possible. Deprived of the self-esteem that others take for granted makes surviving victims more vulnerable to programming lies. The hardest job is surviving satanic mind control while receiving little or no compassion, empathy or love. Healing is crucial if you want to belong to yourself, find out who you are, make your own decisions and life choices.

None of the material on these pages or at the conference is meant as therapy, or to take the place of therapy. All accusations are alleged.

2021 Conference Video Presentations and PowerPoints https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2021-conference/2021-conference-video-presentations-and

2021 Conference Video Presentations and PowerPoints  https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2021-conference/2021-conference-video-presentations-and

Online Presentations

These presentations may be difficult for survivors to view and listen to.  Survivors may want to have a support person present while viewing. All accusations are alleged. None of the material on these pages or at the conference is meant as therapy, or to take the place of therapy.

Ritual Abuse in the UK – Dr Laurie Matthew OBE https://youtu.be/st9kYo5s7GY

 Ritual Abuse in the UK – Laurie Matthew (Transcript of PowerPoint) https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2021-conference/ritual-abuse-in-the-uk-laurie-matthew/

 Survivors of ritual and organised abuse have increasingly broken silence to protect children, raise awareness, challenge abusers and institutions and demand services for recovery with varying success worldwide.  Her presentation will focus on the challenges, experiences and perspectives of ritual abuse survivors in the UK and parts of Europe over the past 30 years and explore the current situation in the UK.

 Dr. Laurie Matthew OBE is founder and Manager of Eighteen And Under an award winning charity providing confidential support services to young people who have been abused. She is also a founder member and advisor to Izzy’s Promise the UK’s leading charity for survivors of organised and ritual abuse and of the Ritual Abuse Network Forum (RANS). She is the author of several books about ritual abuse and the Violence Is Preventable abuse prevention programmes for children and young people. She has over 40 years experience of directly supporting abuse survivors. Her recently published research has included participatory research with adult ritual abuse survivors and participatory research with young survivors of sexual abuse who were unknown to authorities.

Deliberate Disinformation in the Orkney ritual child abuse case – Dr. Sarah Nelson OBE https://youtu.be/Nwk2Jz4nclY

 Deliberate Disinformation in the Orkney Ritual Child Abuse Case – Sarah Nelson OBE https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2021-conference/deliberate-disinformation-in-the-orkney-ritual-child-abuse-case-sarah-nelson/

 The Orkney child abuse case, a notorious and highly publicised case in the UK from 1991 – 1992, had the 30th anniversary in February this year of nine children being removed into care in “dawn raids” by police and social workers. After claims by three children from another family on South Ronaldsay, part of these northerly Scottish islands, about strange outdoor rituals and organised sexual abuse, grounds for action against their middle class parents and a clergyman referred to “group sexual activity, including ritualistic music, dancing and dress”.

 Six weeks later a Scots sheriff called the charges “fatally flawed” and dismissed the case without even hearing the evidence. The children were returned home in a blaze of international publicity. The evidence has never been tested to this day in any criminal or civil court; the parents were considered innocent, receiving an apology and financial compensation afterwards.

The case delivered a hammer blow to child protection against sexual abuse from which it has still not recovered. Anniversaries of the case are replayed in most media complete each time with substantial disinformation, and ridicule and dismissal of “satanic abuse” allegations. This presentation will summarise the main features of the case and describe the elaborate untruths and disinformation created around it from the start. It will also describe Inquiries into child sexual abuse cases which do, in contrast, put the children in the centre of the case at their heart.

 Dr. Sarah Nelson OBE (University of Edinburgh) has written and presented widely for decades on sexual abuse issues. Her research and publications include the voices of young survivors, critiques of current child protection systems, community prevention, ritual and organised abuse, media representations of abuse cases, and adult survivors’ experiences of mental and physical health services. She has also been a professional adviser to the Scottish Government and Scottish Parliament. Her book Tackling Child Sexual Abuse: Radical approaches to prevention, protection and support (Policy Press, UK and University of Chicago press, USA) was published in 2016.

Mind Control and How to Stop it – Neil Brick https://youtu.be/dOGq-z9l4KA

 Mind Control and How to Stop it – Neil Brick (Transcript of PowerPoint) https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2021-conference/mind-control-and-how-to-stop-it-neil-brick/

This presentation will explain how mind control and different suggestive techniques work in a variety of individual and public settings. These will include interpersonal relationships, abusive relationships, ritual abuse settings, social media, political manipulation and hypnosis. Ways to expose and prevent mind control will be discussed. Social views of mind control will be presented.

 Neil Brick is a survivor of ritual abuse and mind control. His work continues to educate the public about child abuse, trauma and ritual abuse crimes. His child abuse and ritual abuse newsletter S.M.A.R.T. https://ritualabuse.us  has been published for over 25 years. http://neilbrick.com

 Self-Esteem – Wendy Hoffman https://youtu.be/EIsaM5otQ7k   Please note: We apologize for the poor quality of this video, which may be difficult for survivors and others to listen to at times. A video with similar information is available at: https://youtu.be/MSdXT2q5Q_4

 Programming turns you away from your true self. Programmers and even satanic families do everything they can to make their victims feel bad about themselves, debasing them in every way possible. Deprived of the self-esteem that others take for granted makes surviving victims more vulnerable to programming lies. The hardest job is surviving satanic mind control while receiving little or no compassion, empathy or love. The second hardest job is healing from it. This healing is crucial if you want to belong to yourself, find out who you are, make your own decisions and life choices. It is hard work to explore what perpetrators put in innocent minds. This presentation addresses a preparatory step for this healing work. Before you begin, and even as you proceed, even after you finish, work on assessing how you really are as an individual, your courageous strengths and abilities. This workshop discusses ways survivors can achieve a truer picture of who they are, as well as ways their therapists and supporters can help them.

 Wendy Hoffman endured various forms of secret mind control, and consequently had amnesia for most of her life. She wants to help and support other survivors in their quests for freedom. Late in life, when she regained memory, she wrote books about what she had been forced to forget or dissociate. Among her published books are the memoirs, The Enslaved Queen (2014) and White Witch in a Black Robe (2015), as well as Forceps, poems about the birth of the self (2016), and a co-authored book of essays with Alison Miller, From the Trenches (2018). Her third memoir, A Brain of My Own with an Afterword by Alison Miller was published in 2020. Wendy has a LCSW-C and decades of experience, a MA and MFA.

2021 Conference Video Presentations and PowerPoints  https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2021-conference/2021-conference-video-presentations-and

Online Presentations

These presentations may be difficult for survivors to view and listen to.  Survivors may want to have a support person present while viewing. All accusations are alleged. None of the material on these pages or at the conference is meant as therapy, or to take the place of therapy.

Ritual Abuse in the UK – Dr Laurie Matthew OBE https://youtu.be/st9kYo5s7GY

Ritual Abuse in the UK – Laurie Matthew (Transcript of PowerPoint) https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2021-conference/ritual-abuse-in-the-uk-laurie-matthew/

Survivors of ritual and organised abuse have increasingly broken silence to protect children, raise awareness, challenge abusers and institutions and demand services for recovery with varying success worldwide.  Her presentation will focus on the challenges, experiences and perspectives of ritual abuse survivors in the UK and parts of Europe over the past 30 years and explore the current situation in the UK.

Dr. Laurie Matthew OBE is founder and Manager of Eighteen And Under an award winning charity providing confidential support services to young people who have been abused. She is also a founder member and advisor to Izzy’s Promise the UK’s leading charity for survivors of organised and ritual abuse and of the Ritual Abuse Network Forum (RANS). She is the author of several books about ritual abuse and the Violence Is Preventable abuse prevention programmes for children and young people. She has over 40 years experience of directly supporting abuse survivors. Her recently published research has included participatory research with adult ritual abuse survivors and participatory research with young survivors of sexual abuse who were unknown to authorities.

Deliberate Disinformation in the Orkney ritual child abuse case – Dr. Sarah Nelson OBE https://youtu.be/Nwk2Jz4nclY

Deliberate Disinformation in the Orkney Ritual Child Abuse Case – Sarah Nelson OBE https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2021-conference/deliberate-disinformation-in-the-orkney-ritual-child-abuse-case-sarah-nelson/

The Orkney child abuse case, a notorious and highly publicised case in the UK from 1991 – 1992, had the 30th anniversary in February this year of nine children being removed into care in “dawn raids” by police and social workers. After claims by three children from another family on South Ronaldsay, part of these northerly Scottish islands, about strange outdoor rituals and organised sexual abuse, grounds for action against their middle class parents and a clergyman referred to “group sexual activity, including ritualistic music, dancing and dress”.

Six weeks later a Scots sheriff called the charges “fatally flawed” and dismissed the case without even hearing the evidence. The children were returned home in a blaze of international publicity. The evidence has never been tested to this day in any criminal or civil court; the parents were considered innocent, receiving an apology and financial compensation afterwards.

The case delivered a hammer blow to child protection against sexual abuse from which it has still not recovered. Anniversaries of the case are replayed in most media complete each time with substantial disinformation, and ridicule and dismissal of “satanic abuse” allegations. This presentation will summarise the main features of the case and describe the elaborate untruths and disinformation created around it from the start. It will also describe Inquiries into child sexual abuse cases which do, in contrast, put the children in the centre of the case at their heart.

Dr. Sarah Nelson OBE (University of Edinburgh) has written and presented widely for decades on sexual abuse issues. Her research and publications include the voices of young survivors, critiques of current child protection systems, community prevention, ritual and organised abuse, media representations of abuse cases, and adult survivors’ experiences of mental and physical health services. She has also been a professional adviser to the Scottish Government and Scottish Parliament. Her book Tackling Child Sexual Abuse: Radical approaches to prevention, protection and support (Policy Press, UK and University of Chicago press, USA) was published in 2016.

Mind Control and How to Stop it – Neil Brick https://youtu.be/dOGq-z9l4KA

Mind Control and How to Stop it – Neil Brick (Transcript of PowerPoint) https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2021-conference/mind-control-and-how-to-stop-it-neil-brick/

This presentation will explain how mind control and different suggestive techniques work in a variety of individual and public settings. These will include interpersonal relationships, abusive relationships, ritual abuse settings, social media, political manipulation and hypnosis. Ways to expose and prevent mind control will be discussed. Social views of mind control will be presented.

Neil Brick is a survivor of ritual abuse and mind control. His work continues to educate the public about child abuse, trauma and ritual abuse crimes. His child abuse and ritual abuse newsletter S.M.A.R.T. https://ritualabuse.us  has been published for over 25 years. http://neilbrick.com

Self-Esteem – Wendy Hoffman https://youtu.be/EIsaM5otQ7k   Please note: We apologize for the poor quality of this video, which may be difficult for survivors and others to listen to at times. A video with similar information is available at: https://youtu.be/MSdXT2q5Q_4

Programming turns you away from your true self. Programmers and even satanic families do everything they can to make their victims feel bad about themselves, debasing them in every way possible. Deprived of the self-esteem that others take for granted makes surviving victims more vulnerable to programming lies. The hardest job is surviving satanic mind control while receiving little or no compassion, empathy or love. The second hardest job is healing from it. This healing is crucial if you want to belong to yourself, find out who you are, make your own decisions and life choices. It is hard work to explore what perpetrators put in innocent minds. This presentation addresses a preparatory step for this healing work. Before you begin, and even as you proceed, even after you finish, work on assessing how you really are as an individual, your courageous strengths and abilities. This workshop discusses ways survivors can achieve a truer picture of who they are, as well as ways their therapists and supporters can help them.

Wendy Hoffman endured various forms of secret mind control, and consequently had amnesia for most of her life. She wants to help and support other survivors in their quests for freedom. Late in life, when she regained memory, she wrote books about what she had been forced to forget or dissociate. Among her published books are the memoirs, The Enslaved Queen (2014) and White Witch in a Black Robe (2015), as well as Forceps, poems about the birth of the self (2016), and a co-authored book of essays with Alison Miller, From the Trenches (2018). Her third memoir, A Brain of My Own with an Afterword by Alison Miller was published in 2020. Wendy has a LCSW-C and decades of experience, a MA and MFA.

Ritual Abuse Conference – Special Prices until August 1st

Ritual Abuse Conference – Special Prices until August 1st .

   Online conference dates: August 14 – 15, 2021
Information: http://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/ Prices as low as $50.

International conference speakers:Ritual Abuse in the UK – Dr. Laurie Matthew OBE
Her presentation will focus on the challenges, experiences and perspectives of ritual abuse survivors in the UK and parts of Europe over the past 30 years and explore the current situation in the UK. 

Dr Laurie Matthew OBE is founder and Manager of Eighteen And Under https://www.18u.org.uk

Founding member and advisor to Izzy’s Promise https://rans.org.uk/izzys-promise/

and the Ritual Abuse Network Forum (RANS) https://www.rans.org.uk/

Mind Control and How to Stop it – Neil Brick
This presentation will explain how mind control and different suggestive techniques work in a variety of individual and public settings. Ways to expose and prevent mind control will be discussed. Neil Brick is a survivor of ritual abuse and mind control. His work continues to educate the public about child abuse, trauma and ritual abuse crimes. http://neilbrick.com

Self-Esteem – Wendy Hoffman
Programmers do everything they can to make their victims feel bad about themselves, debasing them in every way possible. Deprived of the self-esteem that others take for granted makes surviving victims more vulnerable to programming lies. This workshop discusses ways survivors can achieve a truer picture of who they are. Wendy Hoffman endured various forms of secret mind control, and consequently had amnesia for most of her life. Books: The Enslaved Queen, White Witch in a Black Robe (2015), Forceps, poems, co-authored book From the Trenches (2018) and A Brain of My Own (2020) https://ritualabuse.us/smart/wendy-hoffman

One Hundred Children: A Parable for Healing from Dissociation-savvy Mind Control – Dr. Ellen Lacter
Based on intensive therapy with survivors of ritual abuse and mind control, Ellen has written a parable with 15 fictionalized examples of programming of dissociated child identities that describe common kinds of tactics used in programming. Ellen P. Lacter, PhD is a California licensed Clinical Psychologist in private practice and Academic Coordinator of the Play Therapy Certificate program at University of California- San Diego, Division of Extended Studies. www.endritualabuse.org

Developing a Mind of your Own – A Question and Answer Format – Facilitators: Wendy Hoffman and Neil Brick
Mind control is overwhelming by design. This is an opportunity to ask questions about what is difficult for you.

Child Abuse Organization Announces its 24th Yearly International Conference

Child Abuse Organization Announces its 24th Yearly International Conference

Since 1996, S.M.A.R.T. has provided online information about child abuse.

Online conference dates: August 14 – 15, 2021
Information: http://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/

International conference speakers:

Ritual Abuse in the UK – Dr. Laurie Matthew OBE
Her presentation will focus on the challenges, experiences and perspectives of ritual abuse survivors in the UK and parts of Europe over the past 30 years and explore the current situation in the UK.

Dr Laurie Matthew OBE is founder and Manager of Eighteen And Under https://www.18u.org.uk/ Founding member and advisor to Izzy’s Promise https://rans.org.uk/izzys-promise/ and the Ritual Abuse Network Forum (RANS) https://www.rans.org.uk/

Mind Control and How to Stop it – Neil Brick
This presentation will explain how mind control and different suggestive techniques work in a variety of individual and public settings. Ways to expose and prevent mind control will be discussed.

Neil Brick is a survivor of ritual abuse and mind control. His work continues to educate the public about child abuse, trauma and ritual abuse crimes. http://neilbrick.com

Self-Esteem – Wendy Hoffman
Programmers do everything they can to make their victims feel bad about themselves, debasing them in every way possible. Deprived of the self-esteem that others take for granted makes surviving victims more vulnerable to programming lies. This workshop discusses ways survivors can achieve a truer picture of who they are.

Wendy Hoffman endured various forms of secret mind control, and consequently had amnesia for most of her life. Books: The Enslaved Queen, White Witch in a Black Robe (2015), Forceps, poems, co-authored book From the Trenches (2018) and A Brain of My Own (2020) https://ritualabuse.us/smart/wendy-hoffman/

One Hundred Children: A Parable for Healing from Dissociation-savvy Mind Control – Dr. Ellen Lacter
Based on intensive therapy with survivors of ritual abuse and mind control, Ellen has written a parable with 15 fictionalized examples of programming of dissociated child identities that describe common kinds of tactics used in programming.

Ellen P Lacter, PhD, is a California licensed Clinical Psychologist in private practice and Academic Coordinator of the Play Therapy Certificate program at University of California- San Diego, Division of Extended Studies. http://www.endritualabuse.org

Developing a Mind of your Own – A Question and Answer Format – Facilitators: Wendy Hoffman and Neil Brick
Mind control is overwhelming by design. This is an opportunity to ask questions about what is difficult for you.

For media inquiries: email smartnews@aol.com

Journal Articles on Child and Ritual Abuse – Laurie Matthew

Laurie Matthew, Ian Barrow & Ann Hodson (2018): Perspectives of Young Child Abuse Survivors on Confidentiality: An Exploratory Literature Review, Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, DOI 10.1080/10538712.2018.1534918

ABSTRACT

The current systematic narrative literature review sought to discover the views of young child sexual abuse (CSA) survivors, unknown to child protection services, on confidentiality. Due to the paucity of research on young CSA survivors, the review was widened to include users of sexual health services. Seventeen databases were searched, and results were refined by reading titles and abstracts, followed by full text. Analysis involved an exploratory interpretist approach to identify conceptual themes and research methodologies. Fifteen published papers were identified. Research methods were narrow and included surveys, interviews, and focus groups, with limited youth participation. In addition to the theme of confidentiality essential to this study, themes identified included – needing accurate information about services, the importance of someone non-judgemental to talk to, control over decisions affecting their lives, and better access to services. Studies indicated young people were fearful of child protection involvement. In conclusion, studies suggest young survivors unknown to child protection services need a higher level of confidential services and more control of their information. Further research involving young survivors in participatory methods is needed to explore issues of confidentiality, survivor participation, and fear of child protection agencies.

Conclusion

The current review identified confidentiality as a significant issue for young survivors unknown to child protection services. Studies indicated that the parameters of confidentiality from services were often ambiguous. The importance of being believed, having someone non-judgemental, and confidential to talk to, along with time to build trust were recurring findings. Analysis of studies suggested a mistrust of authorities, fear of consequences,lack of information, shame, embarrassment, and fear of losing of control, inhibited young people from talking to child protection services. Instead, young people preferred support and information from friends and relatives. Methodologically, the review found that few studies asked young people’s views on confidentiality and none involved active participation as researchers. For those studies that did seek young people’s views, methods used covered a narrow range of traditional approaches.

Laurie Matthew & Ian G. Barron (2015) Participatory Action Research on Help-Seeking Behaviors of Self-Defined Ritual Abuse Survivors: A Brief Report, Journal of Child Sexual Abuse, 24:4, 429-443, DOI: 10.1080/10538712.2015.1029104

The existence of ritual abuse is the subject of much debate. Ritual abuse survivor perceptions of seeking help have not been explored, and studies have yet to utilize self-defined survivors as collaborative researchers. This study addresses both issues. Participatory action research was utilized to design a survey and semistructured interview to investigate ritual abuse survivor experience of seeking help. Sixty-eight participants completed the survey, and 22 were interviewed. A group approach to thematic analysis aided validity and reliability. Participants reported experiencing disbelief and a lack of ritual abuse awareness and help from support services. In contrast, participatory action research was reported by participants as educative and emancipatory. Future research should explore the benefits of participatory action research for survivors of different forms of oppression.

Conclusions

The current study found survivors appeared to suffer from the continued polarized discourse around belief, memory, and mental illness. The researchers discovered that survivors reported low awareness of RA issues among professionals, which in turn resulted in services being perceived as poor. As a consequence, participants reported they were reluctant to reveal histories of RA due to anticipated negative reactions. The authors suggest there is a need for survivor agencies to raise awareness of issues for RA survivors, share the experiences of survivors, and encourage development of survivor-sensitive services. PAR appears to be an empowering process for self-defined survivors, resulting in new competencies, positive perceptions,and social supports as well as the development of new life opportunities. In terms of the process of PAR, survivor researchers were able to be critically reflect on (a) their experiences of seeking help; (b) the action they engaged in, such as the research process itself; and (c) the action participants engaged in beyond the study, such as real-life change and ongoing research. Despite these methodological challenges, PAR offers a promising approach to achieving social change through research and contributing to personal growth of participant researchers. Although this study has focused on ritual abuse, future PAR research with other survivor groups is likely to be applicable and worthwhile

Laurie Matthew, Ian Barrow & Ann Hodson (2019): Participatory Action Research: Confidentiality and Attitudes of Victimized Young People Unknown to Child Protection Agencies, International Journal on Child Maltreatment Research, Policy and Practice  https://doi.org/10.1007/s42449-019-00020-x

Abstract
This study explores views of young child abuse survivors, whose abuse was unknown to child protection, about confidentiality. Survivors involved with charity Eighteen And Under (n= 185) were invited to participate. A total of 140 participated. Eight aged 12–20, two males and 6 females chose involvement as researchers and participants and 132 aged 11–30, 25 males, 114 females and one non-gendered chose participant involvement. Eighty-five percent (n= 117) were survivors of child sexual abuse and 15% (n= 23) were survivors of child abuse. Utilizing participatory action research, researchers designed and analyzed qualitative and quantitative data gathered through surveys, interviews, focus groups, online-chats and graffiti walls. A social construction thematic approach analyzed data. Interrater reliability was maximized through independent data analysis. The results showed that participants, particularly males and under 16 s, wanted greater protection of confidentiality. Males were less likely to disclose sexual abuse. Two superordinate themes were identified: (a) limited confidentiality led to fear of loss of control and trust and (b) retractions of abuse and higher levels of confidentiality led to talking openly, feeling respected and believed and a sense of control and empowerment. Two further themes were identified from young researcher reports: improved self-esteem and positive life changes. In conclusion,young people unknown to services want greater confidentiality than is currently offered. Participative research was emancipatory, and further participatory research with young CSA survivors is needed.

Conclusion

      Young CSA survivors unknown to CPS wanted higher levels of confidentiality than they currently receive from services. Further, young people reported that lack of confidentiality was one of the reasons they did not disclose abuse to professionals. This study highlighted the importance of young CSA survivors building relationships based on trust in confidentiality, being believed and having adults available with a positive attitude who would not judge them. Staying in control was also important to the young survivors. Current CPS in the UK do not lend themselves to this, as prosecution is a key aim. It also tends not to prioritise the support needs of young people and can be harmful, while not always ending abuse. All of this, including abuse retractions and the reluctance of young survivors to disclose abuse to authorities, would indicate that something different is needed. Having the opportunity to access confidential services could help meet the needs of many young CSA survivors better and possibly lead to more positive outcomes.
Indications are that young CSA survivors, unknown to CPS, do not trust these systems in the UK. This perspective, coupled with survivors’ powerlessness when faced with professionals and protectionist arguments prevents young people remaining in control or gaining any say in decisions affecting them.
Involving young CSA survivors as researchers in research with other young CSA survivors allowed them to address issues that had affected them directly and brought their own expertise into the study in a way that has not been achieved before now. Survivors conducting research led to novel foci of research and outcomes. All young researchers reported feeling empowered and increased self-esteem and self-confidence.

All articles posted with written permission of the author.

2020 Ritual Abuse Conference Video Presentations and PowerPoints

https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2020-conference/2020-conference-video-presentations-and-powerpoints/

The 2020 Online Annual Ritual Abuse, Secretive Organizations and Mind Control Conference

August 8 – 9, 2020

Internet conference information:
http://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/

Proof That Ritual Abuse Exists
https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/

Large List of Ritual Abuse and Child Abuse References
https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/studies/satanic-ritual-abuse-evidence-with-information-on-the-mcmartin-preschool-case/

Grey Faction, Satanic Temple and Lucien Greaves Fact Sheet https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/grey-faction-satanic-temple-and-lucien-greaves-fact-sheet/

Research and Information on Dissociative Identity Disorder (formerly called Multiple Personality Disorder) https://ritualabuse.us/research/did/

Judith Herman: “In order to escape accountability for his crimes, the perpetrator does everything in his power to promote forgetting. If secrecy fails, the perpetrator attacks the credibility of his victim. If he cannot silence her absolutely, he tries to make sure no one listens.” Trauma and Recovery: The Aftermath of Violence – From Domestic Abuse to Political Terror

These presentations may be triggering for survivors.

Research Review Statistics – Dr. Laurie Matthew

https://youtu.be/Un2UpO9z4Ns

In the UK: 1 in 6 children suffer child sexual abuse. 21% of children in local authority care are exposed to suspected or confirmed sexual exploitation every year. RA Research conclusions: Survivors still suffer the backlash of 1980-90’s and the continued discourse around belief, memory and mental illness. The only witnesses to ritual and organized abuse are the abusers and the survivors. Only the survivors will try to tell so the public can learn about it so society needs to listen to them.

Dr Laurie Matthew OBE is founder and Manager of Eighteen And Under an award winning charity providing confidential support services to young people who have been abused. She is also a founder member and advisor to Izzy’s Promise the UK’s leading charity for survivors of organised and ritual abuse and of the Ritual Abuse Network Forum (RANS). She is the author of several books about ritual abuse and the Violence Is Preventable abuse prevention programmes for children and young people. She has over 40 years experience of directly supporting abuse survivors. Her recently published research has included participatory research with adult ritual abuse survivors and participatory research with young survivors of sexual abuse who were unknown to authorities

Dr. Sarah Nelson, Universities of Edinburgh and Dundee https://youtu.be/wXVtD5el08o

“The Discourse of Disbelief” Sarah Nelson MA PhD, Universities of Edinburgh and Dundee

https://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/2020-conference/dr-sarah-nelson-the-discourse-of-disbelief/

In this presentation Sarah makes reflections on belief and disbelief in ritual abuse, and on why backlash theories such as satanic panic and false memory syndrome were so readily believed and are still potent, despite their numerous flaws. She interconnects the disbelief by outsiders including professionals, many media and public with the disbelief and doubts of survivors themselves, and think about the interplay and mutual strengthening which has long taken place. She explains how this a neglected aspect of the discourse of disbelief yet she believes it important and relevant. She discusses the example of interplay of disbelief between survivors themselves and these outsiders in dissociative identify disorder, formerly multiple personality disorder, a condition strongly linked to the experience of the profound trauma of ritual abuse in childhood. She asks whether and how far this circle can be broken in working against ritual abuse in future.

Dr Sarah Nelson (Universities of Edinburgh and Dundee) has written and presented widely for decades on sexual abuse issues. Her research and publications include the voices of young survivors, critiques of current child protection systems, community prevention, ritual and organised abuse, media representations of abuse cases, and adult survivors’ experiences of mental and physical health services. She has also been a professional adviser to the Scottish Government and Scottish Parliament. Her book Tackling Child Sexual Abuse: Radical approaches to prevention, protection and support (Policy Press, UK and University of Chicago press, USA)) was published in 2016.

Misinformation Campaigns Against Survivors – Neil Brick https://youtu.be/5WY5hiNtCfg

Misinformation Campaigns Against Survivors – Neil Brick https://ritualabuse.us/ritualabuse/articles/misinformation-campaigns-against-survivors-neil-brick/

Misinformation Campaigns Against Survivors PowerPoint

Child and ritual abuse survivors and their advocates have been attacked by misinformation campaigns the last several years. These campaigns use various harassment and propaganda techniques to distort the research and silence the efforts of those who are working to help trauma survivors and rape victims. These techniques will be compared to past and present public campaigns that have distorted information and used unethical tactics to manipulate public opinion. Propaganda and suggestion techniques used will be discussed and analyzed.

Neil Brick is a survivor of ritual abuse and mind control. His work continues to educate the public about child abuse, trauma and ritual abuse crimes. His child abuse and ritual abuse newsletter S.M.A.R.T. https://ritualabuse.us has been published for over 25 years. http://neilbrick.com

Presentation on Izzy’s Promise – Kieran Watson

Kieran Watson is a manager with Izzy’s Promise – Dundee, Scotland.

Izzy’s Promise and the importance of a physical non denominational and regulated service for RA survivors.

Izzy’s Promise offers training and consultancy services; Conducts research into causes of ritual abuse and any ways of preventing or relieving the suffering caused by abuse; recruits and trains volunteers to work towards supporting survivors of ritual/organised abuse and those who support them; and networks with other agencies. https://rans.org.uk/izzys-promise/

Presentation on Ritual Abuse Network Scotland (RANS) – Clare Barrie

Presentation on Ritual Abuse Network Scotland (RANS) PowerPoint

RANS provides information and a safe place to talk for survivors of ritual abuse. https://rans.org.uk/

Extreme Abuse Survivors, Social Security Benefits, and Ethical Practice – Dr. Randy Noblitt and Pamela Perskin Noblitt https://youtu.be/HwCUuI-ZBZE

Extreme Abuse Survivors, Social Security Benefits, and Ethical Practice – PowerPoint

Many trauma survivors have debilitating psychological and physical symptoms that prevent them from maintaining gainful employment. For these individuals the Social Security Administration has programs that can play a critical role in providing for clients’ basic survival needs and autonomy. Unfortunately, the rules that govern this process are complex and confusing. Further, an important contributing factor in SSA denials is that survivors’ health care providers are often unfamiliar with SSA’s requirements which include documentation of symptoms and the limitations they impose along with professional opinions that correspond to Social Security’s definition of disability. This workshop is intended to provide an introduction to SSA requirements for healthcare providers.

Randy Noblitt is a clinical psychologist and professor of clinical psychology at the California School of Professional Psychology (CSPP) at Alliant International University, Los Angeles. He is the principle author of Navigating Social Security Disability Programs: A Handbook for Clinicians and Advocates (2020) as well as Cult and Ritual Abuse: Narratives, Evidence and Healing Approaches, 3rd Edition (2014). He is the co-editor and a contributor to Ritual Abuse in the Twenty-first Century: Psychological, Forensic, Social and Political Considerations (2008).

Information on Randy Noblitt and His Research
https://ritualabuse.us/smart/randy-noblitt/

Pamela Perskin Noblitt is a non-attorney claimants representative for individuals applying for SSDI and SSI benefits. She is in independent private practice in Los Angeles County, California. She is co-author of Navigating Social Security Disability Programs: A Handbook for Clinicians and Advocates (2020) as well as Cult and Ritual Abuse: Narratives, Evidence and Healing Approaches, 3rd Edition (2014). She is the co-editor of Ritual Abuse in the Twenty-first Century: Psychological, Forensic, Social and Political Considerations (2008).

Please note: None of the material on these pages or at the conference is meant as therapy, or to take the place of therapy. These presentations may be triggering for survivors.

Recent Conference on the Ritual Abuse Problem – International Panel of Speakers and Attendees

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/recent-conference-on-the-ritual-abuse-problem—international-panel-of-speakers-and-attendees-301108854.html

The 2020 Online Annual Ritual Abuse Conference was on August 8 – 9, 2020. It included speakers from the United Kingdom and the United States. Speakers included: Dr. Laurie Matthew, Dr. Sarah Nelson, Neil Brick, Kieran Watson, Dr. Randy Noblitt and Pamela Noblitt.  Conference promoters report the conference was very successful this year.  

Conference information: http://ritualabuse.us/smart-conference/  

Research Review Statistics – Dr. Laurie Matthew

In the UK: 1 in 6 children suffer child sexual abuse. 21% of children in local authority care are exposed to suspected or confirmed sexual exploitation every year.

Dr. Laurie Matthew OBE is founder and Manager of Eighteen And Under providing confidential support services to abused young people. She is a founder and advisor to Izzy’s Promise for survivors of organised and ritual abuse and Ritual Abuse Network Forum.

Dr. Sarah Nelson, Universities of Edinburgh and Dundee

Sarah makes reflections on belief and disbelief in ritual abuse, and on why backlash theories such as satanic panic and false memory syndrome were so readily believed and are still potent, despite their numerous flaws.

Dr. Sarah Nelson has written and presented widely for decades on sexual abuse issues. She was a professional adviser to Scottish Government and Parliament. 

Misinformation Campaigns Against Survivors – Neil Brick

Child and ritual abuse survivors and their advocates have been attacked by misinformation campaigns the last several years. 

Neil Brick is a survivor of ritual abuse and mind control. His child/ritual abuse newsletter S.M.A.R.T. https://ritualabuse.us  and webpage http://neilbrick.com

Presentation on Izzy’s Promise – Kieran Watson

Kieran is a manager with Izzy’s Promise, Dundee, Scotland.

Izzy’s Promise and the importance of a physical non denominational and regulated service for RA survivors. Izzy’s Promise offers training and conducts research into causes of ritual abuse.  https://rans.org.uk/izzys-promise/

Presentation on Ritual Abuse Network Scotland (RANS) – Clare Barrie

RANS provides information and safe place to talk for survivors of ritual abuse. https://rans.org.uk/

Extreme Abuse Survivors, Social Security Benefits, and Ethical Practice – Dr. Randy Noblitt and Pamela Perskin Noblitt

Information on Social Security Administration programs that can help play a critical role in providing for clients’ basic survival needs and autonomy.

Randy Noblitt is a clinical psychologist and professor of clinical psychology at the California School of Professional Psychology at Alliant International University, Los Angeles.  https://ritualabuse.us/smart/randy-noblitt/ 

Pamela Noblitt is a non-attorney claimant’s representative for individuals applying for SSDI and SSI benefits.

 

https://ritualabuse.us

Christine Ford’s Prepared Statement, Organized Abuse Conference UK, Sect leader Deborah Green sentenced for child abuse

–  Updates from the Riveting Testimonies of Christine Blasey Ford and Brett Kavanaugh

–  Read Christine Blasey Ford’s Prepared Statement

–  Charities to host forum tackling child sex abuse in Dundee

–  Organised Abuse in the UK – Conference

–  Paramilitary sect leader Deborah Green sentenced for child abuse in New Mexico

Updates from the Riveting Testimonies of Christine Blasey Ford and Brett Kavanaugh By The New York Times Sept. 27, 2018

….‘Brett’s assault on me drastically altered my life’: Dr. Blasey delivered an emotional opening statement

Dr. Blasey delivered her opening statement, at times through tears, at times resolute — but always with palpable emotion.

Speaking her first words in public, Dr. Blasey told senators in explicit detail, her voice breaking at times, of the night she said the future Judge Kavanaugh pinned her to the bed, tried to rip her clothes off and clapped his hand over her mouth as she screamed.

“It was hard for me to breathe and I believed that Brett was going to accidentally kill me,” she said.

Dr. Blasey also described the lasting impact of the attack, especially how he held his hand over her mouth: “Brett’s assault on me drastically altered my life.”….

As other senators sought to clarify Dr. Blasey’s memory, Mr. Durbin took the question head on.

“I am asking you to address this new defense of mistaken identity directly,” he said. “Dr. Ford, with what degree of certainly do you believe Judge Kavanaugh assaulted you?”

Dr. Blasey, who sometimes uses her married name, Ford, responded unequivocally.

“One hundred percent,” Dr. Blasey said….

An unusually clinical witness

During the questioning, Dr. Blasey’s background as a professor of psychology affiliated with Stanford University and Palo Alto University shaped her answers to questions. For example, describing the lingering consequences of having been attacked as a teenager, she invoked an obscure term — sequela — which refers to aftereffects of a disease or traumatic incident.

Asked how she remembers that it was Judge Kavanaugh and not some other person who attacked her, she answered clinically with a description of how memories of traumatic events form in the brain: “Just basic memory functions and also just the level of norepinephrine and the epinephrine in the brain that sort of, as you know, encodes — that neurotransmitter that codes memories into the hippocampus and so the trauma-related experience is locked there whereas other details kind of drift.”

Senator Dianne Feinstein of California, the ranking Democrat on the committee, responded: “So what you are telling us is this could not be a case of mistaken identity.”

“Absolutely not,” Dr. Blasey replied.

And, a bit later, asked what her strongest memory was, something she could not forget, she replied: “Indelible into the hippocampus is the laughter — the uproarious laughter between the two, and their having fun at my expense.”….

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/27/us/politics/kavanaugh-hearings-dr-ford.html

Read Christine Blasey Ford’s Prepared Statement
By The New York Times

Sept. 26, 2018

Christine Blasey Ford is scheduled to address the Senate Judiciary Committee on Thursday about sexual assault allegations she made against Judge Brett M. Kavanaugh, President Trump’s nominee to the Supreme Court.

The following are prepared remarks of Dr. Blasey’s opening statement, as released by the Judiciary Committee….

Early in the evening, I went up a narrow set of stairs leading from the living room to a second floor to use the bathroom. When I got to the top of the stairs, I was pushed from behind into a bedroom. I couldn’t see who pushed me. Brett and Mark came into the bedroom and locked the door behind them. There was music already playing in the bedroom. It was turned up louder by either Brett or Mark once we were in the room. I was pushed onto the bed and Brett got on top of me. He began running his hands over my body and grinding his hips into me. I yelled, hoping someone downstairs might hear me, and tried to get away from him, but his weight was heavy. Brett groped me and tried to take off my clothes. He had a hard time because he was so drunk, and because I was wearing a one-piece bathing suit under my clothes.

I believed he was going to rape me. I tried to yell for help. When I did, Brett put his hand over my mouth to stop me from screaming. This was what terrified me the most, and has had the most lasting impact on my life. It was hard for me to breathe, and I thought that Brett was accidentally going to kill me. Both Brett and Mark were drunkenly laughing during the attack. They both seemed to be having a good time. Mark was urging Brett on, although at times he told Brett to stop. A couple of times I made eye contact with Mark and thought he might try to help me, but he did not.

During this assault, Mark came over and jumped on the bed twice while Brett was on top of me. The last time he did this, we toppled over and Brett was no longer on top of me. I was able to get up and run out of the room. Directly across from the bedroom was a small bathroom. I ran inside the bathroom and locked the door. I heard Brett and Mark leave the bedroom laughing and loudly walk down the narrow stairs, pin-balling off the walls on the way down. I waited and when I did not hear them come back up the stairs, I left the bathroom, ran down the stairs, through the living room, and left the house. I remember being on the street and feeling an enormous sense of relief that I had escaped from the house and that Brett and Mark were not coming after me.

Brett’s assault on me drastically altered my life. For a very long time, I was too afraid and ashamed to tell anyone the details. I did not want to tell my parents that I, at age 15, was in a house without any parents present, drinking beer with boys. I tried to convince myself that because Brett did not rape me, I should be able to move on and just pretend that it had never happened. Over the years, I told very few friends that I had this traumatic experience. I told my husband before we were married that I had experienced a sexual assault. I had never told the details to anyone until May 2012, during a couples counseling session. The reason this came up in counseling is that my husband and I had completed an extensive remodel of our home, and I insisted on a second front door, an idea that he and others disagreed with and could not understand. In explaining why I wanted to have a second front door, I described the assault in detail. I recall saying that the boy who assaulted me could someday be on the U.S. Supreme Court and spoke a bit about his background. My husband recalls that I named my attacker as Brett Kavanaugh….

Since Sept. 16, the date of The Washington Post story, I have experienced an outpouring of support from people in every state of this country. Thousands of people who have had their lives dramatically altered by sexual violence have reached out to share their own experiences with me and have thanked me for coming forward. We have received tremendous support from friends and our community.

At the same time, my greatest fears have been realized — and the reality has been far worse than what I expected. My family and I have been the target of constant harassment and death threats. I have been called the most vile and hateful names imaginable. These messages, while far fewer than the expressions of support, have been terrifying to receive and have rocked me to my core. People have posted my personal information on the internet. This has resulted in additional emails, calls and threats. My family and I were forced to move out of our home. Since Sept. 16, my family and I have been living in various secure locales, with guards. This past Tuesday evening, my work email account was hacked and messages were sent out supposedly recanting my description of the sexual assault.

Apart from the assault itself, these last couple of weeks have been the hardest of my life. I have had to relive my trauma in front of the entire world, and have seen my life picked apart by people on television, in the media and in this body who have never met me or spoken with me. I have been accused of acting out of partisan political motives. Those who say that do not know me. I am a fiercely independent person and I am no one’s pawn. My motivation in coming forward was to provide the facts about how Mr. Kavanaugh’s actions have damaged my life, so that you can take that into serious consideration as you make your decision about how to proceed. It is not my responsibility to determine whether Mr. Kavanaugh deserves to sit on the Supreme Court. My responsibility is to tell the truth…..

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/09/26/us/politics/christine-blasey-ford-prepared-statement.html

Charities to host forum tackling child sex abuse in Dundee
by Lindsey Hamilton September 24, 2018

A conference on how to tackle child sex abuse and help survivors will be held in Dundee later this year.

The Organised Abuse conference will cover a range of topics, including how to empower survivors, current support services and how to deal with convicted sex offenders.

The event, at Tayside Deaf Hub, has been organised by Dundee charities Izzy’s Promise, which conducts research into causes of ritual abuse and ways of preventing it, and Eighteen and Under, which supports young victims of sexual abuse.

The conference will feature talks by a number of experts in the field of abuse issues, including Izzy’s promise founder Laurie Matthew OBE, who is also executive manager for Dundee-based Eighteen And Under.

Sarah Nelson, author of Tackling Child Sexual Abuse: Radical Approaches will also make an appearance, as will abuse survivor Matt Carey, alongside counsellor Sarah Paton Briggs.

Completing the speakers will be Joseph Lumbasi, manager of Izzy’s Promise.

Laurie said: “We are hoping that this conference will address the ongoing abuse and sexual exploitation of young people which is happening right here in our city.

“These are often the most vulnerable young people and we all need to work together to raise awareness.”

Joseph said: “The conference is aimed at bringing together survivors of abuse, support organisations, social services, NHS, police, Dundee City Council and other council officials to talk about ways of providing support to survivors to be able to tell and report abuse when it happens and not to wait until we are dealing with it as historical abuse.

“We should not be having to deal with historical sex abuse, but dealing with the abuse when it happens.”

Joseph has backed the Tele’s Our Kids Need Justice campaign, which is calling for a change in the law to ensure those who are convicted of committing sexual offences involving children face mandatory jail terms….

The conference is at Tayside Deaf Hub, The Old Mill, 23 Brown Sreet, between 9am and 5pm on November 7.

https://www.eveningtelegraph.co.uk/fp/charities-to-host-forum-tackling-child-sex-abuse-in-dundee/

Organised Abuse in the UK – Conference

Speakers

Laurie Matthew, OBE, – Founder and Executive Manager for Eighteen And Under, Izzy’s Promise and a host of other organisations all aimed at supporting survivors of abuse and prevention of abuse.

Sarah Nelson, – Universities of Edinburgh and Dundee, has written and presented widely for decades on sexual abuse issues. Her research includes the voices of young survivors, critiques of current child protection systems, backlash theories, community prevention, and physical and mental health issues for survivors. She is author of Tackling Child Sexual Abuse: Radical Approaches (2016)

Joseph Lumbasi(PhD Student) – Manager of Izzy’s Promise.

Matt Carey(with Sarah Paton Briggs) survivor and author

Conference Topics

Empowering Survivors
The Myth of the Satanic Panic
How Online Support Spaces are viewed and experienced by Ritual Abuse Survivors
A Small Boy Smiling: A remarkable journey of healing from the trauma of child sexual abuse to spiritual awakening.

https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/whats-on/dundee/tayside-deaf-hub/organised-abuse-in-the-uk-conference

Paramilitary sect leader Deborah Green sentenced for child abuse in New Mexico September 27, 2018

GRANTS, N.M. — A New Mexico judge sentenced a paramilitary religious sect leader Wednesday to more than seven decades in prison after her conviction in a child sex abuse case that authorities say involved a victim who was taken from Uganda as a baby and mistreated throughout her life. KRQE-TV reports that the 72-year sentence for Deborah Green in Grants followed emotional testimony from a victim, who told the judge she had 11 surgeries for broken bones suffered during years of abuse. She also said she has yet to recover emotionally and physically from what she described as torture by Green.

On Tuesday, a jury found Green, 71, guilty of kidnapping, criminal sexual penetration of a minor and child abuse.

“A weaker person would not have survived,” Judge James Sanchez told the victim. “That means you can continue on being strong.”

Last year, authorities raided the Aggressive Christianity Missions Training Corps’ secluded Fence Lake compound in western New Mexico after a two-year investigation into concerns about child abuse. Former sect members said the abuse dated back years, while Cibola County Undersheriff Michael Munk said the former members described leaders treating followers like slaves and physically beating children.

He also said the sect had evaded law enforcement by moving and operating in seclusion….

As CBS News affiliate KRQE in Albuquerque reports, the abuse fist came to light in 2017 when a former member of the sect claimed years of sexual abuse by Green and her son-in-law Peter Green. That information prompted authorities to raid the Fence Lake compound, where they discovered 11 children — some as young as 4 years old and being held against their will. KRQE reports the 11 children rescued from the compound remain in the custody of New Mexico’s Children, Youth and Families department.

Green still faces a second trial in the death of 13-year-old Enoch Miller. Authorities said he died at the compound in 2014.

Green has been charged with child abuse resulting in death and tampering with evidence….

https://www.cbsnews.com/news/paramilitary-sect-deborah-green-aggressive-christianity-missions-new-mexico-sentence/