Ritual Abuse

Perhaps the most famous of the "Ritual Abuse" cases which hit the headlines in the Eighties was the McMartin pre-school scandal:

In 1983, the mother of one of the Manhattan Beach, California preschool's young students complained to the police that her son had been sodomized by her estranged husband and by McMartin teacher Ray Buckey, the grandson of school founder Virginia McMartin and son of administrator Peggy McMartin Buckey. Her belief was based on the fact that her son suffered from painful bowel movements, though he denied her suggestion that preschool teachers had molested him. In addition, she also claimed that people at the daycare had flown and had sexual encounters with giraffes. Ray Buckey was questioned, but was not prosecuted due to lack of evidence. The police, however, sent a letter to about 200 parents of students at the McMartin school, stating that their children may have been forced into sex, and asking the parents to question their children.

Several hundred children were questioned, and by spring of 1984, 360 children had been identified as having been abused. A doctor concluded that 120 had been sexually abused. No physical evidence was found to support these allegations. The mother who made the original complaint was diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia the same year.

Now one of the children admits he was lying:

I remember them asking extremely uncomfortable questions about whether Ray touched me and about all the teachers and what they did—and I remember telling them nothing happened to me. I remember them almost giggling and laughing, saying, "Oh, we know these things happened to you. Why don't you just go ahead and tell us? Use these dolls if you're scared."

Anytime I would give them an answer that they didn't like, they would ask again and encourage me to give them the answer they were looking for. It was really obvious what they wanted. I know the types of language they used on me: things like I was smart, or I could help the other kids who were scared.

I felt uncomfortable and a little ashamed that I was being dishonest. But at the same time, being the type of person I was, whatever my parents wanted me to do, I would do. [...]

But the lying really bothered me. One particular night stands out in my mind. I was maybe 10 years old and I tried to tell my mom that nothing had happened. I lay on the bed crying hysterically—I wanted to get it off my chest, to tell her the truth. My mother kept asking me to please tell her what was the matter. I said she would never believe me. She persisted: "I promise I'll believe you! I love you so much! Tell me what's bothering you!" This went on for a long time: I told her she wouldn't believe me, and she kept assuring me she would. I remember finally telling her, "Nothing happened! Nothing ever happened to me at that school."

She didn't believe me.

We had a highly dysfunctional family. We argued and fought all the time. My mother has always blamed anything negative on the idea that we went to that preschool and were molested. To this day, she believes these things went on. Because if they didn't, how can she explain all the family's problems?

(via ALDaily)

Comments

[Dom]

I remember when the McMartin case started, and so many of the allegations seemed incredible (sex with giraffes?). A lot of us asked, "What will happen when these children grow up?" I guess now we know. This is just the start, the others will have to come forward too.

Dom