In recent weeks and months, there have been media reports in Germany and Switzerland that ritual abuse is a fantasy of therapists and that they suggest satanic theories to their patients.
For example, Jan Böhmermann questioned the issue of ritual abuse in a very ridiculous way in his ZDF satirical show “Magazin Royale” and defamed those affected. Jan Böhmermann’s comments are a slap in the face for all those affected by ritual abuse and their network of helpers.
He denies the existence of the abuse they have experienced and therefore their credibility. The facts he refers to are one-sided, sometimes incorrectly researched and heavily laden with “false memory syndrome”.
In this blog, we want to go into the individual points in more detail. Hence a clear trigger warning about the content of sexualized violence.
Jan Böhmermann focuses his statements primarily on ritual abuse in the context of Satanism. It is important to understand, however, that organized ritual abuse occurs in various ideological contexts. These can be shaped by religious or political worldviews and may have roots in occultism, fascism, or racism. Sects, cults, secret societies, as well as satanic groups, can be part of the perpetrator structures. Regardless of the ideological framework, all these groups are ultimately concerned with sadistic violence, power, and money.
In his show, Böhmermann makes a distinction between ritual abuse and organized sexualized violence, which he considers to be a serious issue. However, when looking at the experiences of survivors of organized ritual abuse, it becomes clear that sexualized violence is always a component of it. We cannot separate or view these forms of violence in isolation.
Ritual abuse involves the most extreme and almost unimaginable acts of violence against victims. From infancy, they are raped and exploited for the production of pornographic material, snuff films (video recordings of murder), in child brothels, at sex parties, or in private circles.
Recordings of murdered children who were then abused have been secured by the police, among other evidence, during international investigations into darknet platforms.
https://www.polizei.bayern.de/aktuelles/pressemitteilungen/043303/index.html
We have already explained more about the connections between forced prostitution and ritual abuse in a previous blog article.
For most people, the descriptions of acts of violence in the context of ritual abuse are so horrific and unimaginable that denial is often the first reaction.
“It’s too terrible to be true”—and yes, the testimonies of survivors do indeed reveal the darkest depths of humanity and our society. We are all shaken when our worldview is called into question, and we instinctively demand proof of the existence of such evil.
So why are there no officially documented cases of ritual abuse at the Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) or the 16 State Criminal Police Offices (LKA) in Germany?
First, organized ritual abuse is not a defined criminal offense in Germany. This means that only individual crimes—such as murder, abuse, or bodily harm—can be reported, but not ritual abuse as a collective criminal offense. Furthermore, while there are repeated indications of ritual abuse, the police require evidence, not just statements, in order to proceed with prosecution.
Various officials have confirmed such indications of ritual abuse—for example, Axel Petermann from the Bremen State Criminal Police (LKA)
(https://www.ezw-berlin.de/publikationen/artikel/rituelle-gewalt-vom-erkennen-zum-handeln/)
and Manfred Paulus, former Chief Detective of Ulm/Donau
(https://www.kriminalpolizei.de/themen/kriminalitaet/detailansicht-kriminalitaet/artikel/ku-klux-was.html).
At the same time, they also highlight the gaps in police procedures and investigations.
The Infoportal Rituelle Gewalt provides a helpful overview of court rulings in Germany and abroad:
https://www.infoportal-rg.de/juristische-fragen-und-antworten/ist-rituelle-gewalt-in-deutschland-strafbar/
Even when investigations are initiated, they are often closed due to a lack of evidence and the perceived lack of credibility of the survivors.
But why are survivors not believed?
As a result of the trauma they have experienced, survivors may develop **Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID)** (formerly known as multiple personality disorder). DID arises from extreme experiences of violence in early childhood. The brain, unable to process the trauma, splits the personality into different parts as a protective mechanism.
Instead of recognizing this as a sign of experienced violence in court, the survivors’ testimonies often fail to meet the legal standards for credibility. In general, this affects victims whose trauma-based statements are not considered credible in court.
However, these facts do **not** mean that ritual abuse does not exist or that the survivors’ reports are not credible.
Therapists, counseling centers, and support networks have been working with survivors for decades and have confirmed the credibility of their accounts in various studies.
For example, the 2005 study “Data Collection on Ritual Abuse” found that therapists considered their clients’ reports credible in **96–100%** of cases.
The consistency of specific events and terminology also supports the findings of working groups and support networks: survivors reported not only rituals, but also various aspects such as training, prostitution, pornography, and other forms of abuse and exploitation throughout different stages of life. These survivors come from various regions across Germany and span a wide range of ages. Repeatedly, similar trigger topics and consistent reactions to specific events in daily life are observed.
https://www.renate-rennebach-stiftung.de/files/corporate-web/media/PDF/2018-08-Datenerhebung-rituelle-Gewalt.pdf
The support hotline “Berta” for victims of organized sexualized and ritual abuse received **8,000 calls** from survivors within its first two years.
https://beauftragte-missbrauch.de/presse/artikel/468
Today, survivors themselves are sharing their experiences and raising awareness through social media, blogs, books, and YouTube. A list of such sources can be found here:
https://lichtstrahlen-oldenburg.de/lichtstrahlen/sichtbar/blogswebsites/
There is, therefore, a significant number of survivors of organized ritual abuse—and in order to report on and truly understand this issue, we must listen to and take their voices seriously.
In his show, Böhmermann quotes the possible symptoms of Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) and literally refers to them as “bullshit.”
However, DID is not some made-up fantasy—it is a recognized mental health condition listed in the **ICD-11**.
According to estimates, around **one million people in Germany alone** are affected by DID.
http://posttraumatische-belastungsstoerung.com/dissoziative-stoerungen-haeufigkeit
Böhmermann also mocks triggers such as certain signs, symbols, or calendar dates. Yet, both survivors and therapists confirm the relevance of these triggers in the context of ritual abuse.
Depending on the ideological background of the perpetrator groups, these triggers can vary—but there is also significant overlap. For example, the dates mentioned by Böhmermann—**summer solstice, winter solstice, Christian holidays like Easter and Christmas, or occult dates like Walpurgis Night or Halloween**—are particularly distressing for survivors, as many report that these are times when different perpetrator groups carry out rituals and ceremonies.
Various authorities distanced themselves from the term “Mind Control” through the ZDF Magazin Royale show, and a well-done educational video funded by the Federal Ministry for Family Affairs was removed from the internet. But what is the truth behind Mind Control? Even Nazi doctor Dr. Mengele used torture, violence, and abuse to research and split people’s consciousness. The CIA applied this knowledge in programs like “MK Ultra,” and still today, perpetrators of organized ritual abuse intentionally use mind control to split survivors and program the different personality parts. Programming refers to the repeated use of extreme violence and torture aimed at conditioning and manipulation.
Survivors themselves speak about their experiences, and for those around them, the effects of mind control become tangible and real in everyday life and during support.
Perpetrators can come from all walks of life. Often, they are intergenerationally rooted within families. Depending on the ideological background, the family of origin determines the rank within the group.
As described above, survivors can be trained and programmed for various activities. This “training” is very costly, as perpetrators make use of the latest technology and scientific methods.
Survivors must be available to clients for any desires and preferences, and again, this costs money. The price is determined by the clients’ wishes, which can vary greatly. It is almost unimaginable, but there is a market for the rape and killing of (infant) children.
Survivors repeatedly report about the programming, training, and both human and animal sacrifices. They speak of perpetrators from the family circle, the neighborhood, or even high-ranking individuals.
The “False Memory” and “Satanic Panic” movements are often used to defame therapists. Böhmermann selectively quotes segments from Michaela Huber, ignoring the fact that there is a broad, scientifically-supported field with many other experts. Unfortunately, there are therapists who do not work professionally and cause harm to patients, and it is important to expose this. However, generalizing this to all therapists working with survivors of ritual abuse poses a significant danger to those seeking proper therapy and support networks.
International research and studies have addressed the discussion surrounding the False Memory Syndrome and have concluded that Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) cannot be acquired through suggestion.
https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article/file?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0039279&type=printable
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/303536752_Is_it_Trauma-_or_Fantasy-based_Comparing_dissociative_identity_disorder_post-traumatic_stress_disorder_simulators_and_controls
As we already stated on social media, it is important for us to believe the survivors, see them, and give them a voice. Exiting from ritual abuse is a long and difficult journey and should be supported by our society and the media, rather than being denied.
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