#ritualistic-abuse

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LGBT
fromLGBTQ Nation
9 hours ago

Why is conversion therapy so harmful? It's all about how young people form their identities. - LGBTQ Nation

Conversion therapy significantly harms LGBTQ+ youth, increasing suicidality and emotional distress during their critical identity-forming years.
#coercive-control
Parenting
fromPsychology Today
11 hours ago

Coercive Control: How Predatory Parents Fracture Attachment

Coercive control weaponizes children against protective parents, causing deep psychological harm and undermining secure attachments essential for healthy development.
UK news
fromwww.theguardian.com
5 days ago

If my boyfriend did what my pastor did, I believe police could investigate'. The campaign to close a serious gap in UK law | Barbara Speed

Rachael Reign's allegations against the UCKG highlight issues of control and coercion within religious groups, which are not covered by current coercive control laws.
Parenting
fromPsychology Today
11 hours ago

Coercive Control: How Predatory Parents Fracture Attachment

Coercive control weaponizes children against protective parents, causing deep psychological harm and undermining secure attachments essential for healthy development.
UK news
fromwww.theguardian.com
5 days ago

If my boyfriend did what my pastor did, I believe police could investigate'. The campaign to close a serious gap in UK law | Barbara Speed

Rachael Reign's allegations against the UCKG highlight issues of control and coercion within religious groups, which are not covered by current coercive control laws.
US news
fromBoston.com
14 hours ago

3-year-old immigrant suffered alleged sexual abuse during months in federal custody, family says

Delays in reunification led to a young girl suffering alleged sexual abuse in foster care after crossing the U.S.-Mexico border.
#onetaste
SOMA, SF
fromwww.theguardian.com
16 hours ago

Comeuppance: how an orgasmic cult' ended in a prison term for its founder

Clitoral stimulation practices have been linked to spiritual and emotional benefits, but legal issues arose for OneTaste's founder over coercion allegations.
fromsfist.com
5 days ago
NYC startup

Founder of Cult-y SF Orgasmic Meditation' Group Gets Nine-Year Sentence In Forced Labor Trial

SOMA, SF
fromwww.theguardian.com
16 hours ago

Comeuppance: how an orgasmic cult' ended in a prison term for its founder

Clitoral stimulation practices have been linked to spiritual and emotional benefits, but legal issues arose for OneTaste's founder over coercion allegations.
fromsfist.com
5 days ago
NYC startup

Founder of Cult-y SF Orgasmic Meditation' Group Gets Nine-Year Sentence In Forced Labor Trial

Relationships
fromPsychology Today
9 hours ago

Before You Share Your Body, Ask: Do They Know You?

Physical intimacy often occurs before emotional intimacy, highlighting a paradox in relationships where vulnerability is avoided despite physical closeness.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
9 hours ago

Psychology says the most emotionally strong people aren't the ones who never fall apart - they're the ones who fall apart privately, reassemble without fanfare, and never use their recovery as a reason for anyone else to feel guilty - Silicon Canals

Emotional strength involves acknowledging feelings and recovering privately, not denying vulnerability or pretending to be unbreakable.
Mental health
fromPsychology Today
1 day ago

When the Body Heals: Recovery From Relational Stress

Emotional stressors can lead to chronic stress, affecting immunity and increasing autoimmune disease risk, but healing can occur after relational stress ends.
fromPsychology Today
2 days ago

Why Is Eradicating Adverse Childhood Experiences Critical?

Nearly 90 percent of suicide attempts among high school students are attributable to ACEs, as are 80 percent of adult suicides, translating to 109 suicides per day.
Public health
California
fromLos Angeles Times
2 days ago

Santa Monica man charged with kidnapping of UCLA student, rape of a separate woman

A Santa Monica man has been charged with rape and kidnapping related to two separate incidents involving female victims.
Higher education
fromIndependent
2 days ago

Student who missed exams after being raped appeals against ruling in favour of UCD

A female medical student claims University College Dublin inadequately supported her after being raped and facing image-based abuse.
Washington DC
fromSlate Magazine
3 days ago

They Had to Clean Solitary Cells. What They Saw Forced Them to Quit.

Solitary confinement work is demoralizing and involves invasive strip searches, contributing to severe mental health issues among incarcerated individuals.
NYC parents
fromPsychology Today
3 days ago

Is Mandated Reporting Racist? What Families Must Know

Low reporting standards and systemic racism lead to unjust CPS reports, disproportionately affecting Black and Brown families.
Berlin music
fromPsychology Today
3 days ago

When Music Was Used to Deceive, Control, Survive

Yom HaShoah commemorates the 6 million Jews and 5 million others who perished in the Holocaust, reflecting on music's dual role in history.
fromTruthout
3 days ago

Rupture and Repair Under Fascist Conditions

"We have a great opportunity in our movements to learn how to be opponents without being enemies," says Tanuja Jagernauth. This perspective emphasizes the importance of maintaining respect and understanding even amidst conflict.
Social justice
Law
fromThe Nation
4 days ago

The Supreme Court Just Condemned Countless Kids to Psychiatric Abuse

The Supreme Court's ruling overturns Colorado's ban on conversion therapy, raising concerns about psychiatric abuse and substandard medical care for children.
UK politics
fromwww.bbc.com
5 days ago

Hundreds of my abusers are still out there, says victim as grooming inquiry launched

Grooming gangs exploited young girls, with many perpetrators remaining unpunished despite some convictions.
Podcast
fromSlate Magazine
5 days ago

A Court Settlement Made Me a Millionaire. I've Barely Touched the Money.

Natalie received over a million dollars in a major abuse settlement after being sexually abused by her university gynecologist.
fromPsychology Today
4 days ago

The Epstein Files and the Failure of Sex Education

Comprehensive approaches that include schools, community programs, and professionals reduce rates of sexual activity, sexual risk behavior, sexually transmitted infections, and adolescent pregnancy.
Education
#conversion-therapy
Film
fromLGBTQ Nation
5 days ago

23 films that expose the reality of conversion therapy - LGBTQ Nation

Conversion therapy is inhumane, ineffective, and continues to have lasting emotional and cultural effects on individuals and society.
Right-wing politics
fromLGBTQ Nation
2 weeks ago

This psychologist was a key supporter of conversion therapy in the 90s. He changed his mind. - LGBTQ Nation

Psychologist Warren Throckmorton reversed his support for conversion therapy after encountering evidence of its inefficacy, becoming a vocal critic and exposing connections between conversion therapy resurgence and Christian nationalism.
fromSlate Magazine
3 weeks ago
Mental health

I Underwent "Conversion Therapy" as a Child. As a Psychiatrist, I Know How Professionally Derelict It Is.

Film
fromLGBTQ Nation
5 days ago

23 films that expose the reality of conversion therapy - LGBTQ Nation

Conversion therapy is inhumane, ineffective, and continues to have lasting emotional and cultural effects on individuals and society.
Right-wing politics
fromLGBTQ Nation
2 weeks ago

This psychologist was a key supporter of conversion therapy in the 90s. He changed his mind. - LGBTQ Nation

Psychologist Warren Throckmorton reversed his support for conversion therapy after encountering evidence of its inefficacy, becoming a vocal critic and exposing connections between conversion therapy resurgence and Christian nationalism.
fromSlate Magazine
3 weeks ago
Mental health

I Underwent "Conversion Therapy" as a Child. As a Psychiatrist, I Know How Professionally Derelict It Is.

UK news
fromwww.independent.co.uk
5 days ago

Police contact Epstein survivors as investigation launched into possible crimes in UK

Police are reaching out to Epstein survivors to investigate potential UK crimes against women and girls.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
1 day ago

Not everyone who avoids asking for help is proud. Some of them asked once, received it with a lecture attached, and learned that the cost of support was a small erosion of standing they could never quite earn back. - Silicon Canals

Asking for help can lead to unintended consequences that affect relationships and self-perception.
Parenting
fromSlate Magazine
2 days ago

My Mom Got a Call That I Was in a Horrific Accident. What She Did Next Can't Be Undone.

Scammers exploit emotional vulnerabilities, making it crucial to educate and protect against future scams.
LGBT
fromLGBTQ Nation
3 days ago

Is "gender exploratory therapy" just conversion therapy with a new name? - LGBTQ Nation

Gender exploratory therapy is a controversial approach that some view as pathologizing non-binary identities while others see it as a cautious exploration of gender identity.
US politics
fromwww.independent.co.uk
1 week ago

It's not normal to see your abuser's face every day,' Epstein survivor says

The Independent provides critical journalism on reproductive rights, climate change, and Big Tech, emphasizing the importance of accessible reporting.
#trauma
#sexual-abuse
NYC parents
fromNew York Post
4 days ago

NJ teacher had sex with student 6 times after grooming him start at age 12, prosecutors say: 'You stripped me of my innocence'

A former teacher engaged in sexual abuse and grooming of a student over six years, despite the victim's attempts to end contact.
NYC parents
fromNew York Post
4 days ago

NJ teacher had sex with student 6 times after grooming him start at age 12, prosecutors say: 'You stripped me of my innocence'

A former teacher engaged in sexual abuse and grooming of a student over six years, despite the victim's attempts to end contact.
Social justice
fromPsychology Today
6 days ago

The Psychology of Sex Trafficking

Sex trafficking is a severe human rights violation, often misunderstood, with survivors criminalized instead of protected and rooted in societal norms.
fromThe Nation
4 days ago

The Hidden Crisis of Addiction Treatment

Doyle's death at Above It All is one of several preventable deaths that Walter investigates in Rehab. The case exemplifies systemic failures in addiction treatment.
SOMA, SF
Law
fromPoynter
4 days ago

Like journalists, prosecutors shaped a distorted view of crime. They can help fix it, too. - Poynter

Prosecutors and journalists both contribute to misleading public perceptions of crime, but prosecutors possess crucial data to tell a more accurate story.
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 week ago

What the Epstein case teaches us about grooming podcast

People talk about Jeffrey Epstein as though he's special or as though he's mysterious in some way. That takes away from the truth of it, which is that there are lots of people like him.
Books
UK news
fromBoston.com
5 days ago

Man sentenced for raping 2 women in Framingham store in 1989

Stephen Paul Gale was sentenced to at least 50 years in prison for raping two women in 1989, likely resulting in his death behind bars.
London politics
fromwww.bbc.com
2 weeks ago

Killed by the same abuser: Families demand answers

Family of missing woman Fiona Holm faced police inaction despite concerns about her boyfriend's behavior and previous violence.
#empathy
Psychology
fromPsychology Today
2 days ago

How to Help Someone Have an Empathy Makeover

Empathy can be developed through structured reflection and practice, enhancing mental health and relationship dynamics.
fromSilicon Canals
3 days ago
Psychology

Research suggests people who feel more empathy for dogs than humans aren't broken - their empathy is fully intact, it's just been directed toward the only available recipient that has never weaponized it, and a person whose empathy has been weaponized enough times eventually stops handing it to anyone who could do it again - Silicon Canals

Psychology
fromPsychology Today
2 days ago

How to Help Someone Have an Empathy Makeover

Empathy can be developed through structured reflection and practice, enhancing mental health and relationship dynamics.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
3 days ago

Research suggests people who feel more empathy for dogs than humans aren't broken - their empathy is fully intact, it's just been directed toward the only available recipient that has never weaponized it, and a person whose empathy has been weaponized enough times eventually stops handing it to anyone who could do it again - Silicon Canals

Empathy can be selective, often directed more towards animals than humans due to psychological and biological factors.
Psychology
fromPsychology Today
5 days ago

The Impact of Detached Reactions to Tragedy

Detached responses to tragedy lower accountability and hinder empathy, while specific, caring responses promote genuine concern and action.
Relationships
fromSilicon Canals
3 days ago

Not everyone who chooses a partner with visible problems is making bad decisions. Some of them are choosing people whose damage is louder than their own, because as long as they're fixing someone else, nobody turns the spotlight around and asks what broke them. - Silicon Canals

People often choose partners with visible problems to avoid confronting their own internal issues.
Mental health
fromPsychology Today
3 days ago

When Parts Begin to Merge: Inside Integration

Integration is a complex, lived experience involving reorganization of the self, requiring safety and support systems for healing from complex trauma.
fromLGBTQ Nation
4 days ago

Child-molesting Trump pastor leaves prison after serving only six months - LGBTQ Nation

"What I did to Cindy decades ago was wrong. There is no other word for it, and there is no excuse for it. I am deeply sorry."
LGBT
Privacy professionals
fromwww.bbc.com
2 weeks ago

Child seen in sex abuse videos identified after researcher spots school badge

Internet Watch Foundation researchers identified a child sexual abuse victim after years of searching by recognizing her school uniform in images, enabling police to locate and help her.
US news
fromBoston.com
6 days ago

Worcester man gets 30 years in prison for sexually exploiting minors

Antonio Merced was sentenced to 30 years for sexually abusing three children and possessing child pornography.
Law
fromwww.bbc.com
6 days ago

Celtic pay out five-figure sum to sexual abuse victim

Celtic settled a historic sexual abuse case by paying a five-figure sum to a victim of Frank Cairney's abuse at Celtic Boys Club in 1989.
Social justice
fromwww.theguardian.com
6 days ago

Harrods' closure of compensation scheme for survivors of alleged sexual abuse called neither fair nor just'

Harrods is criticized for closing a compensation scheme for abuse survivors before completing an internal investigation.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
2 days ago

Psychology says people who apologize constantly without realizing it are more damaged than they appear - because they internalize blame and absorb conflict, a survival response from childhood, which never switches off even when they're safe - Silicon Canals

Excessive apologizing often stems from childhood experiences of mistreatment and can lead to chronic self-blame in adulthood.
Parenting
fromSlate Magazine
4 days ago

My Daughter Has Been Framed for Something She Didn't Do. My Husband Thinks She Should Just Accept the Punishment.

Middle schoolers should be involved in decisions about their conflicts and how to address misunderstandings with peers and school authorities.
Relationships
fromSilicon Canals
3 days ago

Most people don't realize that children who grow up without affection don't struggle with love as adults. They struggle with trusting it, because it never felt safe to depend on - Silicon Canals

Emotional unavailability stems from a lack of early affection, leading to difficulties in accepting love despite an inherent capacity for it.
NYC LGBT
fromwww.bbc.com
2 weeks ago

'Psychic' admits sex assaults on two women

A 74-year-old self-proclaimed clairvoyant admitted to sexually assaulting two women between 2018 and 2022 and faces a custodial sentence.
UK news
fromIndependent
6 days ago

From nerd to cold killer: colleague of murderer Stephen McCullagh reveals chilling transformation of monster he thought he knew

A former colleague recalls a haunting clue related to the murder suspect, Stephen McCullagh, linked to a Coke bottle.
London politics
fromwww.bbc.com
2 weeks ago

'Why we want child abuse nursery held accountable'

Parents of children abused at a London nursery criticize Camden Council for refusing to investigate safeguarding failures, citing conflict of interest concerns.
Mental health
fromPsychology Today
5 days ago

Mother, Clinician, Witness: Healing Communities

Violence against children impacts the entire community, necessitating protective programs and trauma-informed care for meaningful change.
Parenting
fromPsychology Today
5 days ago

Parental Burnout Is a Social Problem, Not a Personal Failure

Parental burnout has reached unprecedented levels, with over 40% of parents feeling exhausted and overwhelmed daily.
Psychology
fromHuffPost
4 days ago

8 Sneaky Signs You're Being Emotionally Manipulated

Emotional manipulation often manifests through subtle control, leading to confusion and anxiety in relationships.
fromPsychology Today
4 days ago

People With Bipolar and BPD Struggle in Mental Healthcare

There is a unique kind of pain in losing your mind, not just once, but over and over. Losing your perception of reality, of your emotions, of your closest relationships-both across months and multiple times a day. Knowing deep down that something is wrong but being unable to stop it.
Mental health
Mental health
fromPsychology Today
4 days ago

Remembering an Angel With a Traumatic Brain Injury

Laura, despite severe brain damage, radiated joy and built meaningful connections with caregivers, enriching their lives through her infectious spirit.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
4 days ago

There's a specific exhaustion that belongs to people who spent decades being exactly what everyone needed them to be - and then one day realized they couldn't remember what they needed - Silicon Canals

People-pleasing leads to losing one's identity and can result in profound exhaustion and disconnection from self.
Mental health
fromSilicon Canals
6 days ago

I grew up with a mother who was physically there but emotionally unreachable - and the confusion that produced, the child's inability to grieve a parent who is standing right in front of them, is the thing I have spent the most years in therapy trying to untangle and the thing I understood least for the longest - Silicon Canals

Emotional absence from a present parent can lead to profound feelings of unworthiness in a child.
#child-sexual-abuse
Mental health
fromPsychology Today
6 days ago

The Day I Realized My Son Wasn't Defiant, He Was Ashamed

Understanding a child's emotional state is crucial; shame can manifest as feelings of worthlessness, impacting behavior and communication.
Mental health
fromwww.bbc.com
6 days ago

'I nearly broke trying to help my partner with addiction issues'

Addiction impacts both the individual and their loved ones, requiring personal growth and boundaries for recovery.
Psychology
fromSilicon Canals
6 days ago

People who always laugh at their own pain aren't just funny. They survived childhoods where being sad meant being a burden, and that had nothing to do with resilience, and their humor is a dissociation technique that everyone mistakes for strength - Silicon Canals

Some individuals cope with pain by making jokes immediately, masking deeper emotional struggles rooted in childhood environments that discourage expressing feelings.
Social justice
fromBuzzFeed
4 weeks ago

My High School Teacher Groomed Me. I Kept His Secret - Until Now.

A teacher groomed and sexually abused a student starting at age 14-15, exploiting her vulnerabilities and isolation through manipulation, special attention, and isolation tactics that continued into college.
#childhood-abuse
Mental health
fromPsychology Today
1 week ago

Disclosing Abuse: How to Choose the Right Person to Tell

Many childhood abuse victims remain silent due to fear of judgment and disbelief, but choosing the right person to confide in can provide support.
Mental health
fromPsychology Today
1 week ago

Disclosing Abuse: How to Choose the Right Person to Tell

Many childhood abuse victims remain silent due to fear of judgment and disbelief, but choosing the right person to confide in can provide support.
Mental health
fromPsychology Today
1 week ago

Religious Trauma, Attachment, and Leaving Faith

Many people leave religion due to a deeper pull towards life and a mismatch between their inner experience and rigid faith structures.
fromPsychology Today
1 month ago

Quintessential Secrets of Psychotherapy: The Trauma of Evil

been ignored, neglected, minimized, or dismissed by mainstream psychology but can no longer be denied or avoided without serious consequences. As C.G. Jung (1961) presciently put it, "Today we need psychology for reasons that involve our very existence. . . . We stand face to face with the terrible question of evil and do not even know what is before us let alone what to pit against it."
Philosophy
US news
fromwww.mercurynews.com
1 month ago

Opinion: In all the uproar over Epstein, remember the victims

Released Epstein files remain poorly organized and difficult to navigate, hindering public understanding of the full scope of the sex trafficking conspiracy despite millions of pages being available.
UK news
fromwww.bbc.com
1 month ago

Murder accused 'traumatised' by deaf woman's death

A 36-year-old man denies murdering a deaf woman by punching her in the neck after she was ejected from a car, claiming he only pushed her to prevent her re-entry.
Psychology
fromPsychology Today
3 weeks ago

Are Parents the First Victims of a Psychopath?

Psychopathic traits emerge in childhood through callous-unemotional behavior, profoundly affecting parents who face isolation, shame, and lack of societal support.
fromPsychology Today
1 month ago

Language Matters When Talking About Child Sexual Abuse

Words such as 'relationship,' 'affair,' 'involvement,' or 'seeing each other' imply mutuality and consent. In the context of child sexual abuse, these implications are false. A child cannot legally or developmentally consent to sexual activity with an adult. Describing abuse using relational language risks distorting the inherent power imbalance and shifting perceived responsibility away from the adult perpetrator.
Psychology
Psychology
fromwww.independent.co.uk
1 month ago

Hundreds of child abuse cases involving witchcraft and rituals go unreported

Ritualistic abuse of children remains severely underreported, with police investigating only 0.2% of cases while helpline data suggests 3.57% of calls involve organized and ritualistic abuse.
fromPsychology Today
2 months ago

Provoking & Recording in Domestic Abuse: Gaslighting in Action

He would back her into a corner and verbally abuse her for hours. And sometimes Sandra responded in ways that she now regrets-shouting at Gary, throwing things, and slamming doors in frustration. She separated from him to protect herself and the children from Gary's outbursts and coercive control. She was shocked when Gary filed for a protective order, claiming that she had abused him.
Mental health
fromPsychology Today
1 month ago

Sexual Abuse in Families: Be Brave and Address the Harm

Sexual abuse is never the victim's fault; parents can and must address intrafamilial sexual abuse to break cycles of generational trauma and prevent further harm.
Mental health
fromwww.theguardian.com
1 month ago

How did I believe that? A cult survivor looks back at his lost years

A man spent 10 years in a gnosticism-based cult that controlled thoughts, sexuality, and behavior through guilt, false prophecies, and spiritual manipulation before eventually escaping and becoming a psychologist.
fromPsychology Today
1 month ago

Explaining Covert Narcissistic Abuse When They Can't Relate

Explaining covert narcissistic abuse to someone who has never experienced it can be especially difficult, even if they mean well and are trying to help. Much of what is available online oversimplifies covert narcissism or groups behavioral patterns of both overt and covert narcissism into a single concept. Covert narcissism shows up distinctly from the loud and brash behavior most people associate with narcissists. Its patterns are often subtle and can be mistaken for shyness or humility.
Psychology
Psychology
fromPsychology Today
2 months ago

Why Victims of Sex Crimes Are Often Blamed

Victim-blaming stems from just-world bias and desire to protect perpetrators' images, causing silencing, stigma, and distress; compassionate listening reduces blame.
Mental health
fromPsychology Today
2 months ago

Sexual Abuse in Intimate Relationships: Beyond Coercion

Intimate partner sexual abuse commonly uses coercion, entitlement, painful acts, humiliation, and strangulation, eroding victims' safety, self-worth, and well-being.
Mental health
fromPsychology Today
2 months ago

Why Religious Harm Isn't Always Recognized as Trauma

Non-affirming religious environments and messages cause lasting shame, anxiety, and self-doubt that can persist into adulthood and impair well-being.
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