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The study of traumatic stress has an interesting history, characterized by what Herman (1992, p. 7) refers to as "episodic amnesia." Periods of active investigation, scholarly research, and sensitive intervention have alternated historically with much longer periods of detraction, disregard, and denial.
With each reclamation, however, the study of traumatic stress becomes broader in scope. The narrow view of trauma as "an individual-centered event bound to soma or psyche" (Summerfield, 1995, p.18), is being replaced by a broader view that sees trauma, its experience, meaning, resolution, and remembrance as continuously shaped by the sociocultural context in which it occurs. This perspective encourages an interdisciplinary approach, and invites sociologists to participate in the community of scholars studying traumatic stress.
In its most general sense, sociology as a discipline focuses on the structures, relations, systems, and processes governing social phenomena and guiding social change. The discipline's interest in collective behavior has afforded it some insights into one type of trauma and traumatic stress that, despite over a decade of attention and activity, has remained very controversial: satanic ritual abuse of children.
The term "satanic ritual abuse" was coined fifteen years ago to describe what is believed to be the widespread sexual, physical, and psychological abuse of young children in satanic cult ceremonies. The term gave a name to disturbing reports that were cropping up across the country. Children, as well as adults who were recovering memories of childhood in therapy, were alleging that they had been abused during the course of rituals that also included such horrific practices as torture, brainwashing, cannibalism, and human sacrifices, conducted by satanic cultists who were family members, day care providers, friends and neighbors, and even prominent members of the community.
It is estimated that 185 people...