Abuse Quote by Michael Salter
““Allegations of multi-perpetrator and multi-victim sexual abuse emerged to public awareness in the early 1980s contemporaneously with the denials of the accused and their supporters. Multi-perpetrator sexual offences are typically more sadistic than solo offences and organised sexual abuse is no exception. Adults and children with histories of organised abuse have described lives marked by torturous and sometimes ritualistic sexual abuse arranged by family members and other care-givers and authority figures. It is widely acknowledged, at least in theory, that sexual abuse can take severe forms, but when disclosures of such abuse occur, they are routinely subject to contestation and challenge. People accused of organised, sadistic or ritualistic abuse have protested that their accusers are liars and fantasists, or else innocents led astray by overly zealous investigators. This was an argument that many journalists and academics have found more convincing than the testimony of alleged victims.””
About This Quote
Source Article: The Organized Abuse Debate, 2021
The quote highlights how allegations of organized, sadistic sexual abuse are often dismissed, with victims’ testimonies contested by accused and supporters.
In simple terms: Victims of organized abuse are often disbelieved.
Key Takeaway
Question evidence and support survivors.
Themes
abuse
power
truth
justice
Mood
critical
somber
analytical
Type
journalistic
expository
critical
When to use this quote
- legal investigations
- media reporting
- therapy
- advocacy
- policy making
Key Concepts
sadism
ritual
institutional denial
victim testimony
Questions to Reflect On
- How can societies better validate survivor accounts?
- What safeguards prevent bias in investigations?
A Different Perspective
Complex power dynamics can obscure truth and protect perpetrators.
