What do you think?
Rate this book
Cult and Ritual Abuse: Its History, Anthropology, and Recent Discovery in Contemporary America
A personal but also scholarly journey into the clandestine and confusing world of ritual abuse, this book provides unique insights into the catastrophic experiences of ritual abuse survivors and their efforts to find healing through psychological treatment. This revised edition provides contemporary revelations about cults in existence today and also new therapies developed since the first edition was published in 1995. Co-authored by a clinical psychologist and the executive director of a professional organization dedicated to treating survivors of cult and ritual abuse, this edition will be of interest to both academic and professional markets.
The special legal dilemmas, survival problems and day-to-day life experiences of these survivors are examined in a scholarly but sensitive manner. The book presents the idea that ritual abuse is an age-old phenomenon found in many cultures throughout the world. That ritual abuse causes a variety of specific psychiatric symptoms is noted. Special attention is given to the diagnosis dissociative identity disorder that is frequently found among ritual abuse survivors. Suggestions are offered for effectively dealing with the various social and legal problems that result from this severe form of abuse. New diagnoses--cult and ritual trauma disorder--are proposed for this newly identified problem.
The special legal dilemmas, survival problems and day-to-day life experiences of these survivors are examined in a scholarly but sensitive manner. The book presents the idea that ritual abuse is an age-old phenomenon found in many cultures throughout the world. That ritual abuse causes a variety of specific psychiatric symptoms is noted. Special attention is given to the diagnosis dissociative identity disorder that is frequently found among ritual abuse survivors. Suggestions are offered for effectively dealing with the various social and legal problems that result from this severe form of abuse. New diagnoses--cult and ritual trauma disorder--are proposed for this newly identified problem.
269 pages, Paperback
First published August 1, 1995
9 people are currently reading
215 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
March 10, 2022
If ever there were a fine tooth comb applied to the SRA/MC controversy, this book is it. It's a research based, data filled, historically contextualized exploration of satanic controversy.
Personally, if I come across hundreds and hundreds of testimonies made by survivors of ritualistically abusive childhoods, who receive no benefit from telling their story, I tend to believe them. However, for those skeptics who cannot make this aspect of our society fit into their schema, "Cult and Ritual Abuse" is here to help brush away the skepticism.
James Randall Noblitt, the primary author, draws from his decades long therapy practice filled with CRA/MC experiences. He admits to years of initial disbelief, but his curiosity and natural drive to know the truth keep him looking and researching for answers.
I found golden tidbits of information on nearly every page, but my favorite is how in depth Noblitt looks into the founders of the False Memory Syndrome Foundation. Pamela Freyd created the foundation in response to her daughter's accusations of sexual abuse against Peter Feryd, Pamela's husband. The daughter, Dr. Jennifer J. Freyd, is a psychology professor in Oregon who in 1993 publicly spoke about her sexual abuse experiences. The background information is fascinating and Jennifer's quotes on page 174 are mic dropping. The woman is well spoken.
Quality book with quality information. Highly recommend.
Personally, if I come across hundreds and hundreds of testimonies made by survivors of ritualistically abusive childhoods, who receive no benefit from telling their story, I tend to believe them. However, for those skeptics who cannot make this aspect of our society fit into their schema, "Cult and Ritual Abuse" is here to help brush away the skepticism.
James Randall Noblitt, the primary author, draws from his decades long therapy practice filled with CRA/MC experiences. He admits to years of initial disbelief, but his curiosity and natural drive to know the truth keep him looking and researching for answers.
I found golden tidbits of information on nearly every page, but my favorite is how in depth Noblitt looks into the founders of the False Memory Syndrome Foundation. Pamela Freyd created the foundation in response to her daughter's accusations of sexual abuse against Peter Feryd, Pamela's husband. The daughter, Dr. Jennifer J. Freyd, is a psychology professor in Oregon who in 1993 publicly spoke about her sexual abuse experiences. The background information is fascinating and Jennifer's quotes on page 174 are mic dropping. The woman is well spoken.
Quality book with quality information. Highly recommend.
March 16, 2014
I really, REALLY wanted this book to provide the answers that so many others have tried but failed to do.
there are so many issues with this book, I don't really know where to start. but, equating documented, historical, anthropological studies of shamanistic practices with purported modern secret satanic cults is quite a leap. circular references, lack of connecting evidence- the authors seem to grasp at straws left right & center.
-referring to Geraldo as fair and unbiased reporting is very worrying.
-saying that the scientific community should be ashamed for not believing in demonic possession sort of kills anything that comes after.
-rife with "maybe" "could be" "not hard to believe" - this is not the way to run any type of study.
-MASSIVE leaps are made, equating historical Gnosticism with modern satanic ritual abuses- huh?! better to leave the study of religion to those qualified to do so- so many bizarre connections are made, but nothing that really holds any water.
-offers nothing beyond anecdotal evidence.
-in desperate need of an edit; words missing in sentences, some just nonsensical.
there are so many issues with this book, I don't really know where to start. but, equating documented, historical, anthropological studies of shamanistic practices with purported modern secret satanic cults is quite a leap. circular references, lack of connecting evidence- the authors seem to grasp at straws left right & center.
-referring to Geraldo as fair and unbiased reporting is very worrying.
-saying that the scientific community should be ashamed for not believing in demonic possession sort of kills anything that comes after.
-rife with "maybe" "could be" "not hard to believe" - this is not the way to run any type of study.
-MASSIVE leaps are made, equating historical Gnosticism with modern satanic ritual abuses- huh?! better to leave the study of religion to those qualified to do so- so many bizarre connections are made, but nothing that really holds any water.
-offers nothing beyond anecdotal evidence.
-in desperate need of an edit; words missing in sentences, some just nonsensical.
March 21, 2018
this book is interesting, but that's about it. it's full of bias, anecdotal evidence, and incoherent ordering of topics. lots of leading and passively suggestive wording. only has value for entertainment.
May 23, 2015
The best, most even-handed, scholarly research I have seen on this subject. Highly recommended to anyone researching this phenomenon.
January 24, 2021
A gold mine of references to source material.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews