--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Ritual abuse is highly organised and…" description: "\"“Ritual abuse is highly organised and, obviously, secretive. It is often linked with other major crimes such as child pornography, child prostitution, ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/577/laurie-matthew-31209_children_ritual-abuse-is-highly-organised-and-obv_2212927.jpg" --- # Ritual abuse is highly organised and, obviously… ![“Ritual abuse is highly organised and, obviously, secretive. It is often linked with other major crimes such as child pornography, child prostitution, the drugs industry, trafficking, and many other illegal and heinous activities. Ritual abuse is organised sexual, physical and psychological abuse…” quote by Laurie Matthew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/577/laurie-matthew-31209_children_ritual-abuse-is-highly-organised-and-obv_2212927.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/577/laurie-matthew-31209_children_ritual-abuse-is-highly-organised-and-obv_2212927.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/577/laurie-matthew-31209_children_ritual-abuse-is-highly-organised-and-obv_2212927.jpg) > ““Ritual abuse is highly organised and, obviously, secretive. It is often linked with other major crimes such as child pornography, child prostitution, the drugs industry, trafficking, and many other illegal and heinous activities. Ritual abuse is organised sexual, physical and psychological abuse, which can be systematic and sustained over a long period of time. It involves the use of rituals - things which the abusers 'need' to do, or 'need' to have in place - but it doesn't have to have a belief system. There doesn't have to be God or the Devil, or any other deity for it to be considered 'ritual'. It involves using patterns of learning and development to keep the abuse going and to make sure the child stays quiet. There has been, and still is a great deal of debate about whether or not such abuse exists anywhere in the world. There are many people who constantly deny that there is even such a thing as ritual abuse. All I can say is that I know there is. Not only have I been a victim of it myself, but I have been dealing with survivors of this type of abuse for almost 30 years. If there are survivors, there must be something that they have survived. The things is, most sexual abuse of children is ritualised in some way. Abusers use repetition, routine and ritual to forced children into the patterns of behaviour they require. Some abusers want their victims to wear certain clothing, to say certain things. They might bathe them or cut them, they might burn them or abuse them only on certain days of the week. They might do a hundred other things which are ritualistic, but aren't always called that - partly, I think because we have a terror of the word and of accepting just how premeditated abuse actually is. Abusers instill fear in their victims and ensure silence; they do all they can to avoid being caught. Sexual abuse of a child is rarely a random act. It involves thorough planning and preparation beforehand. They threaten the children with death, with being taken into care, with no one believing them, which physical violence or their favourite teddy being taken away. They are told that their mum will die, or their dad will hate them, the abusers say everyone will think it's their fault, that everyone already knows they are bad. Nothing is too big or small for an abuser to use as leverage. There is unmistakable proof that abusers do get together in order to share children, abuse more children, and even learn from each other. As more cases have come into the public eye in recent years, this has become increasingly obvious. More and more of this type of abuse is coming to light. I definitely think it is the word ritual which causes people to question, to feel uncomfortable, or even just disbelieve. It seems almost incredible that such things would happen, but too many of us know exactly how bad the lives of many children are. A great deal of child pornography shows children being abused in a ritualised setting, and many have now come forward to share their experiences, but there is a still tendency to say it just couldn't happen. p204-205”” [Laurie Matthew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-matthew/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Ritual abuse is systematic, secretive, and often linked to other crimes, using repeated patterns to control victims and silence them. **In simple terms:** Organized abuse uses rituals to control and hide crimes. Key Takeaway Recognize patterns and support survivors. Themes abuse secrecy control trauma crime Mood fearful determined hopeful Type testimonial advocacy educational When to use this quote - law enforcement - social services - therapy - education - policy making Key Concepts psychology power dynamics victim manipulation Questions to Reflect On - How can institutions better detect hidden abuse? - What support helps survivors break silence? A Different Perspective Evidence can be hard to gather; victims may fear speaking out. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) [Belief System](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/belief-system/) [Children](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/children/) [Days of the week](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/days-of-the-week/) [Physical violence](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/physical-violence/) [Psychological Abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/psychological-abuse-2/) [Ritual](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ritual/) [Sexual abuse](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sexual-abuse/) ## Related quotes > [“I'm just asking you to accept that there are some people who will go to extraordinary lengths to cover up the facts that they…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-matthew/i-m-just-asking-you-to-accept-that-there-are-some-people-who-will-go/) [Laurie Matthew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-matthew/) > [“There is unmistakable proof that abusers do get together in order to share children, abuse more children, and even learn from each other. 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In a 1989 report, the Ritual Abuse Task Force…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chrystine-oksana/is-methodical-abuse-often-using-indoctrination-aimed-at-breaking-the/) Chrystine Oksana > [“Those who support such survivors of abuse often find it difficult to hear the reality of those survivors' lives and experience and are often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-matthew/those-who-support-such-survivors-of-abuse-often-find-it-difficult-to/) [Laurie Matthew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-matthew/) > [“Political prisoners describe: - extreme physical and emotional torture - distortion of language, truth, meaning and reality - sham killings - begin repeatedly taken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-matthew/political-prisoners-describe-extreme-physical-and-emotional-torture/) [Laurie Matthew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-matthew/) > [“In some counties, there is an actual named crime of ritual abuse and there too, there have been convictions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-matthew/in-some-counties-there-is-an-actual-named-crime-of-ritual-abuse-and/) [Laurie Matthew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-matthew/) > [“Ritualised child sexual abuse is about abuse of power, control and secrecy. Ten years ago many people found it difficult to believe that fathers…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-matthew/ritualised-child-sexual-abuse-is-about-abuse-of-power-control-and/) [Laurie Matthew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-matthew/) > [ “In a nutshell, the process they \[abusers in a ritual abuse group\] use on survivors is designed to: break the will and personality of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-matthew/in-a-nutshell-the-process-they-abusers-in-a-ritual-abuse-group-use-on/) [Laurie Matthew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-matthew/) > [You can either have one guy lifting a billion pounds by himself, and it takes many years of planning and preparation - or you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jacque-fresco/you-can-either-have-one-guy-lifting-a-billion-pounds-by-himself-and/) [Jacque Fresco](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jacque-fresco/) > [“A successful special operation defies conventional wisdom by using a small force to defeat a much larger or well-entrenched opponent. 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The more carefully planned a signal occasion, the more likely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lionel-shriver/now-over-the-years-i-ve-been-forced-to-conclude-that-most/) [Lionel Shriver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lionel-shriver/) > [To get kids involved in meal planning and preparation, create games out of trying new foods, and provide ample opportunities for physical activity, recognizing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michelle-obama/to-get-kids-involved-in-meal-planning-and-preparation-create-games/) [Michelle Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michelle-obama/) > [“Proper Planning and Preparation Prevents Poor Performance”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephen-keague/proper-planning-and-preparation-prevents-poor-performance/) [Stephen Keague](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephen-keague/) > [The seven Ps: Proper Planning and Preparation Prevent Piss-Poor Performance](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-lanchester/the-seven-ps-proper-planning-and-preparation-prevent-piss-poor/) [John Lanchester](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-lanchester/) ## More by Laurie Matthew > [“Those who support such survivors of abuse often find it difficult to hear the reality of those survivors' lives and experience and are often…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-matthew/those-who-support-such-survivors-of-abuse-often-find-it-difficult-to/) [Laurie Matthew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-matthew/) > [“The people who were behind my abuse were very clever. They had created something which would be so difficult to explain, so difficult to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-matthew/the-people-who-were-behind-my-abuse-were-very-clever-they-had-created/) [Laurie Matthew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-matthew/) > [“Political prisoners describe: - extreme physical and emotional torture - distortion of language, truth, meaning and reality - sham killings - begin repeatedly taken…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-matthew/political-prisoners-describe-extreme-physical-and-emotional-torture/) [Laurie Matthew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-matthew/) > [“Some abusers organise themselves in groups to abuse children and other adults in a more formally ritualised way. 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There was one world which was a daylight world and another dark world (though I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-matthew/it-felt-like-i-was-living-in-two-worlds-there-was-one-world-which-was/) [Laurie Matthew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-matthew/) > [ “In a nutshell, the process they \[abusers in a ritual abuse group\] use on survivors is designed to: break the will and personality of… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-matthew/in-a-nutshell-the-process-they-abusers-in-a-ritual-abuse-group-use-on/) [Laurie Matthew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-matthew/) > [“In some counties, there is an actual named crime of ritual abuse and there too, there have been convictions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-matthew/in-some-counties-there-is-an-actual-named-crime-of-ritual-abuse-and/) [Laurie Matthew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-matthew/) > [“I have to find a place to hide An island in the sea Surrounded by a racing tide Where I can live with me”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-matthew/i-have-to-find-a-place-to-hide-an-island-in-the-sea-surrounded-by-a/) [Laurie Matthew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-matthew/) > [“There is unmistakable proof that abusers do get together in order to share children, abuse more children, and even learn from each other. 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In my… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-matthew/mum-was-pregnant-then-there-was-sharron-i-wanted-to-keep-him-away/) [Laurie Matthew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-matthew/) [Explore all 16 Laurie Matthew quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laurie-matthew/) ## More Abuse quotes > [I wrote when I was a young teen, but I didn't put an eye on the available markets until I was seventeen. The next…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-reed/i-wrote-when-i-was-a-young-teen-but-i-didn-t-put-an-eye-on-the/) [Robert Reed](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-reed/) > [Amongst the financial Twitterati, the term 'muppets' has come to describe any client used and abused by some financial predator. I've adopted the term…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barry-ritholtz/amongst-the-financial-twitterati-the-term-muppets-has-come-to/) [Barry Ritholtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barry-ritholtz/) > [Being nice is okay,but don't allow anybody to abuse it...try to fight for your self when you know your on the right way...](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/being-nice-is-okay-but-don-t-allow-anybody-to-abuse-it-try-to-fight/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [“Build a bridge over shame by teaching kids about sexual abuse. Give them a chance to run to us should they encounter it. Be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carolyn-byers-ruch/build-a-bridge-over-shame-by-teaching-kids-about-sexual-abuse-give/) [Carolyn Byers Ruch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carolyn-byers-ruch/) > [It is sure that those are most desirous of honour or glory who cry out loudest of its abuse and the vanity of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/baruch-spinoza/it-is-sure-that-those-are-most-desirous-of-honour-or-glory-who-cry/) [Baruch Spinoza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/baruch-spinoza/) > [“The sole reason I stand to open it up now is that lots of people who are in pain just like I was, and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/patricia-dsouza/the-sole-reason-i-stand-to-open-it-up-now-is-that-lots-of-people-who/) [Patricia Dsouza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/patricia-dsouza/) > [Democracy must be built through open societies that share information. When there is information, there is enlightenment. When there is debate, there are solutions.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/atifete-jahjaga/democracy-must-be-built-through-open-societies-that-share-information/) [Atifete Jahjaga](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/atifete-jahjaga/) > [I have a theory that all abuse, no matter what kind of abuse it is, is foremost an assault on the mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tara-westover/i-have-a-theory-that-all-abuse-no-matter-what-kind-of-abuse-it-is-is/) [Tara Westover](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tara-westover/) > [“Blaming therapy, social work and other caring professions for the confabulation of testimony of 'satanic ritual abuse' legitimated a programme of political and social…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/blaming-therapy-social-work-and-other-caring-professions-for-the/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [Finally, the scariest thing about abuse of any shape or form, is, in my opinion, not the abuse itself, but that if it continues…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alan-cumming/finally-the-scariest-thing-about-abuse-of-any-shape-or-form-is-in-my/) [Alan Cumming](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alan-cumming/) > [“Research on organised abuse emphasises the diversity of organised abuse cases, and the ways in which serious forms of child maltreatment cluster in the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/michael-salter/research-on-organised-abuse-emphasises-the-diversity-of-organised/) [Michael Salter](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/michael-salter/) > [“Stand up for yourself. Never give any one permission to abuse you.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lailah-gifty-akita/stand-up-for-yourself-never-give-any-one-permission-to-abuse-you/) [Lailah Gifty Akita](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lailah-gifty-akita/) > [All governments should be pressured to correct their abuses of human rights.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/richard-stallman/all-governments-should-be-pressured-to-correct-their-abuses-of-human/) [Richard Stallman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/richard-stallman/) > [“Words are free. It does not mean you should abuse them. Be kind with them. They will mirror your actions.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hadinet-tekie/words-are-free-it-does-not-mean-you-should-abuse-them-be-kind-with/) [Hadinet Tekie](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hadinet-tekie/) > [My illness is one often characterized by dramatic overspending - in my case through frenzied shopping sprees, credit card abuse, excessive hoarding of unnecessary…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/andy-behrman/my-illness-is-one-often-characterized-by-dramatic-overspending-in-my/) [Andy Behrman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/andy-behrman/) [Browse all 3,113 Abuse quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/abuse/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "“Ritual abuse is highly organised and, obviously, secretive. It is often linked with other major crimes such as child pornography, child prostitution, the drugs industry, trafficking, and many other illegal and heinous activities. Ritual abuse is organised sexual, physical and psychological abuse, which can be systematic and sustained over a long period of time. It involves the use of rituals - things which the abusers 'need' to do, or 'need' to have in place - but it doesn't have to have a belief system. There doesn't have to be God or the Devil, or any other deity for it to be considered 'ritual'. It involves using patterns of learning and development to keep the abuse going and to make sure the child stays quiet. There has been, and still is a great deal of debate about whether or not such abuse exists anywhere in the world. There are many people who constantly deny that there is even such a thing as ritual abuse. All I can say is that I know there is. Not only have I been a victim of it myself, but I have been dealing with survivors of this type of abuse for almost 30 years. If there are survivors, there must be something that they have survived. The things is, most sexual abuse of children is ritualised in some way. Abusers use repetition, routine and ritual to forced children into the patterns of behaviour they require. Some abusers want their victims to wear certain clothing, to say certain things. They might bathe them or cut them, they might burn them or abuse them only on certain days of the week. They might do a hundred other things which are ritualistic, but aren't always called that - partly, I think because we have a terror of the word and of accepting just how premeditated abuse actually is. Abusers instill fear in their victims and ensure silence; they do all they can to avoid being caught. Sexual abuse of a child is rarely a random act. It involves thorough planning and preparation beforehand. They threaten the children with death, with being taken into care, with no one believing them, which physical violence or their favourite teddy being taken away. They are told that their mum will die, or their dad will hate them, the abusers say everyone will think it's their fault, that everyone already knows they are bad. Nothing is too big or small for an abuser to use as leverage. There is unmistakable proof that abusers do get together in order to share children, abuse more children, and even learn from each other. As more cases have come into the public eye in recent years, this has become increasingly obvious. More and more of this type of abuse is coming to light. I definitely think it is the word ritual which causes people to question, to feel uncomfortable, or even just disbelieve. It seems almost incredible that such things would happen, but too many of us know exactly how bad the lives of many children are. A great deal of child pornography shows children being abused in a ritualised setting, and many have now come forward to share their experiences, but there is a still tendency to say it just couldn't happen. p204-205”", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Laurie Matthew" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-matthew/ritual-abuse-is-highly-organised-and-obviously-secretive-it-is-often/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Abuse" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laurie-matthew/ritual-abuse-is-highly-organised-and-obviously-secretive-it-is-often/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/577/laurie-matthew-31209_children_ritual-abuse-is-highly-organised-and-obv_2212927.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/577/laurie-matthew-31209_children_ritual-abuse-is-highly-organised-and-obv_2212927.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/577/laurie-matthew-31209_children_ritual-abuse-is-highly-organised-and-obv_2212927.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“Ritual abuse is highly organised and, obviously, secretive. 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