Beyond Childhood Sexual Abuse

Abstract

Ritual abuse-torture (RAT) may be carried out by individuals, families, cults, and gangs as a way to instill submission, humiliation, and fear in victims. According to survivors, the tactics of RAT can include confinement in locked cages, closets, single rooms, basements, or backyard sheds. To keep victims silent, there are often threats of death for the victims and/or their siblings, other family members, peers, or pets or threats of even more severe physical abuse. RAT is often associated with human trafficking. Human trafficking includes the harboring and transporting of victims for the purpose of forced sex and/or labor, which is a very profitable industry today. Human trafficking victims may be subjected to any of the tactics used with RAT victims to ensure traffickers' power and control and maintenance of compliance and silence. It is critically important to assess suspected victims alone, apart from those who bring them in and may be the perpetrators. The major barrier to any treatment plan is the risk of harm by perpetrators if victims reveal their circumstances. What is needed is a coordinated multidisciplinary action team and resources for victims of RAT/human trafficking. Additional safety protections and emotional support are needed if the perpetrators of RAT or human trafficking are being investigated or prosecuted. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved) Keywords: Human trafficking Language: en