Sra Survivors are individuals who claim to have repressed memories of Satanic ritual abuse as children. They report that they were subjected to sexual, emotional, and physical abuse at the hands of a secret satanic cult that included members of their family. They believe they are the victims of a vast conspiracy to destroy humanity, which allegedly involves black masses, sexualized torture, and even human sacrifice. These accounts of satanic ritual abuse are widespread in popular culture, and have received considerable attention from the media and some mental health professionals.
The first publicized case of SRA was that of Michelle Smith, whose book Michelle Remembers (1980) detailed her discovery, through therapy with her psychiatrist and later husband Lawrence Pazder, of previously repressed early childhood memories of debilitating physical and sexual abuse at the hands of a satanic cult, which she claimed included members of her family. Smith also claims that she experienced a spiritual liberation during her therapeutic journey. Her story was followed by many other similar accounts of alleged ritual abuse, including those published by Lauren Stratford in Satan's Underground (1988) and her two follow-up books.
Most adult SRA stories are disclosed during some therapeutic setting, either during counseling or in the course of treatment for a seemingly unrelated problem. With sensationalistic reports of SRA scattered throughout the media, few therapists or clients have not heard an account of such abuse in their practice.
Those who accept these allegations argue that the consistency of details in SRA survivors' accounts is evidence of their truth. This line of argument is flawed. True believers are apt to interpret any discrepancy as the result of a satanic cover-up, and will ignore the possibility that they have misremembered some or all of their experiences.
In addition, the alleged consistency of SRA survivors' accounts is often used to bolster their own beliefs about the existence of a conspiracy to molest and murder children. However, there is no corroborating evidence for such a conspiracy, and skepticism about these claims should be the default position of mental health professionals who work with this client population.
In order to assist SRA survivors in their recovery, community support is crucial. In conjunction with deliverance ministry, supportive communities provide a network of care for SRA survivors who are engaged in the difficult process of healing and deliverance from demonic influences. SRA survivors are likely to be receptive to the message of Christianity and may be helped by the guidance of deliverance ministers in their quest for freedom from the influence of dark forces. The combination of deliverance ministry and a supportive community will empower these individuals to overcome the power of demons and achieve spiritual freedom. This, in turn, will enable them to be a source of hope for others. This is a crucial step in the process of rebuilding trust within this vulnerable group of individuals.
