-> SNETNEWS Mailing List APPENDIX VIII Issues Relating to Physical, Sexual and Emotional Abuse and Neglect in the Koreshian Children Bruce D. Perry, M.D., Ph.D. Associate Professor and Vice-Chairman for Research, Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences Chief of Psychiatry, Texas Children's Hospital Director, Post-traumatic Stress Disorders Clinical Research Team, Houston VAMC Baylor College of Medicine April 26, 1993 CIVITAS ChildTrauma Programs A Partnership of: CIVITAS Initiative, Baylor College of Medicine and Texas Children's Hospital 1. Physical Abuse a. Allegations: Former 'members' of this group have described corporal punishment of young infants to the point of bleeding. Some ex-members describe public physical discipline. In addition, previous CPS contacts with David Koresh indicated that physical discipline ('squeezing or holding them tight') of infants began at 8 months. We are not aware of reports of physically assaultive behaviors outside of the context of discipline. b. Preliminary Findings: During the first two weeks outside the compound, several of the girls were noted to have circular lesions (approx. 1 inch in diameter and healing) at the base of their spines/top of their buttocks. These were initially described by the children as resulting from 'falling down'. Soon, however, at least one of the girls acknowledged that the lesion was from being paddled with the 'Helper" by her mother (see Appendix I). No other physical evidence of potential physical abuse was observed in the 21 children released from the compound. History was obtained from several of the children that mothers and occasionally David physically paddled the children that were unable to comply with the rules of the compound. One of the children most frequently disciplined by David was among those released. The children were open about being disciplined with the Helper. There was an expectation that they would be physically disciplined for minor behavioral or social infractions. History was obtained which described physical punishment for children unwilling to participate in staged 'fights'. The context of these fights is not clear, however, it appears that adults (frequently David) encouraged fighting between the children as part of their paramilitary training. Children refusing to fight or fight hard were paddled. It was the opinion of the treatment group that full disclosure regarding these practices was not made. One of the parents released from the compound described how 'well the children acted' even by age 1 because they knew what 'the Helper' was. Several of the children mentioned dead babies. They made the statement that dead babies were kept in the freezer until they could be buried (or burned). There was an ongoing secretive quality to these occasional allusions to births, dead babies, miscarriages, storage of dead babies in the freezer, burning bodies, a ceremony with a male baby underwater and other incomplete and unformed stories. When any of the children mentioned theses subjects, there was some group monitoring, some censoring and avoidance of disclosing any more information. The relationship of these issues to potential physical abuse is unclear at this point. Behavioral observation of the children in the first few weeks suggested that these children had come from an environment which employed severe physical punishment for behavioral control. Initially, the children expected to be hit when they did things as minor as spilling milk. Later, without the external threat to force compliance, these children began to have difficulties with behavioral acting out and compliance with directives. It became apparent that the initial observations of these children being 'well behaved' was not a manifestation of internalized ideas, cognitions or motivations regarding interactions with others but was motivated by fear of punishment. c. Conclusions: Independent of external reports regarding excessive physical punishment, our team found some physical evidence, significant historical reporting and clear behavioral and emotional functioning consistent with an excessive style of corporal punishment. This alone, however, does not necessarily comprise evidence of physical abuse required for state intervention beyond guidance regarding more appropriate styles of discipline. 2. Sexual Abuse a. Allegations: The press and ex-members of this group have described that David Koresh had multiple 'wives'. This list of wives includes girls from age 12-16. All of the sexual abuse allegations we are aware of involve David Koresh and the girls living in the compound. We are unaware of any allegations regarding sexual activities with the boys in this group. We are unaware of any allegations of other adults participating in sexual activities with the children except as knowing that this occurred with children and David. b. Preliminary Findings: No physical evidence of sexual abuse was observed in these children. Indeed, the physical examinations did not include pediatric gynecology exams focusing on sexual abuse. Physical evidence of abuse is found in only 15 % of documented admitted sexual abuse cases, making other findings (e.g., disclosure, emotional/behavioral findings) important in these cases. The oldest girl released from the compound wore a plastic Star of David. She related to various members of our team that this was given to her by David Koresh and was symbolic of the fact that she 'had the light' and could be chosen by him to be a wife. She openly disclosed to members of our team that David would have sex with her in the future. She felt it was 'O.K.' for 11 year old girls to have sex with David. She denied having sex with David herself. She was remorseful and angry, however, that she had been released as she still wanted to be with David. The older girls released from the compound made a variety of sexualized comments and continued to be secretive but provocative regarding sexual topics throughout these two months. Many of the girls describe that graphic sexual comments were made in the bible studies attended, on occasion, by the children. More recently, one of the children has alluded to her biological father (living in the compound) reading to her about sexual acts with animals including horses, dogs and chickens. She described being told about beheading a chicken and inserting into the vagina. These are spontaneous and unsolicited comments provided in context of bedtime rituals to one of our child care staff. The meaning of these comments is unclear. Some sexualized behaviors have been observed in some of the girls released from the compound. These are not excessive and when re-directed to be more appropriate there is typically compliance. The boys have also demonstrated some aggressive and sexually-provocative behaviors. The frequency, intensity and quality of these behaviors is not, by themselves, indicative of 'sexual abuse', rather they indicate some age-inappropriate exposure to sexuality. c. Conclusions: The children released from Ranch Apocalypse do not appear to have been victims of sexual abuse. It is clear, however, that they were exposed to a variety of ideas and experiences and were living in an environment which had an unhealthy, malignant and predatory quality of sexuality. The children associate power with sex. The girls appear to have been 'prepared' for sexual activity at an early age -- well in advance of their emotional and cognitive capabilities to understand the complete implications of their sexuality or sexualized behaviors. 3. Emotional Abuse a. Allegations: Some ex-members of this group have discussed the coercive, punitive, paranoid, vindictive and emotionally-barren atmosphere in the compound. They have described use of public humiliation, peer monitoring and censorship, 'special' or capricious reward and punishment paradigms and isolationism. b. Preliminary Findings: The children did describe the use of withholding food as a punishment. They did describe some elements of public punishment and humiliation. The children did describe elements of peer censorship which took place in the compound. They all identified Cyrus as being special and therefore the target of both special favors but also, on occasion, special punishments. The children all describe exposure to violent combat films and frequent studies in which they were taught about the end times -- the evil nature of man -- the apocalyptic nature of the end of their group (see Appendix I). In behavior, some indicators related to allegations of emotional abuse could be observed. The children released from the Ranch quickly re-established the social structure and organization from inside the compound. This included significant peer monitoring, censorship for breaking rules and episodic capricious punishment. One of the most disturbing qualities observed in the children over these two months was the often observed apparent weakness in their attachments to adults (sometimes including parents) in or out of the compound. These children do have the capacity to form relationships, to bond, to form friendships and to love. Despite this, one of pervasive characteristics of life in the compound was that David continually undermined relationships between parents and children, children and other children and between man and wife. This process of dividing groups, keeping group secrets, controlling all aspects of social affiliation and attachment, undermining relationships by prohibiting contacts, identifying special individuals, publicly punishing and humiliating children and adults -- all undermine traditional familial and group attachments. These detached and distorted attachments were easily observed in the children. The perceived 'poor' quality of many of the long standing relationships (and the correlating weak attachments) could have been magnified by other factors associated with the post-traumatic period, including the emotional numbing typical of the post-traumatic period. These observations are not meant to indicate that the children did not love their parents or that their parents did not love them -- only to indicate that intimacy, attachment, bonding and trust will all be major areas of concern for those of us working with these children over time. Viewing a videotape of the children inside the compound during the negotiation process reinforced our impressions regarding the fear that David instilled in the children. In the interviews with the young children, there was no spontaneous production of speech. The children repeated David's words -- closely monitoring his non-verbal cues to look for the 'correct' response. In some cases, short two or three word responses were produced in low, slow monotone responses. The children were clearly very intimidated by David. The children were slow and deliberate in their motor actions as well -- all indicative of a cautious, wary approach in David's presence. c. Conclusions: The style of discipline, atypical family re-structuring, need for allegiance and obedience of David, the punitive rather than socializing style of discipline, the isolation from, and intolerance of, any other competing ways of thinking led to a coercive, fearful, emotionally-restrictive environment for these children. Again, these impressions (with no other evidence) as they now stand likely would not indicate emotional abuse to the degree that would precipitate state intervention without further investigation. 4. Medical and Physical Neglect a. Allegations: The physical conditions and hygiene at the Ranch have been subject of some concern regarding the health and safety of those living there. The physical structure of the compound was examined and commented on by CPS in the year prior to these events. Ongoing concerns regarding prenatal care, the health of newborns, immunizations, possible infectious disease control secondary to sanitation conditions, ongoing care of physically handicapped or medically ill residents of the Ranch and other concerns regarding the site have been articulated by others. b. Preliminary Findings: Based upon our interviews with the children, the physical conditions including sanitation, ongoing construction, availability and exposure to weapons indicated potential for physical endangerment. The physical condition of the children at the time they were released indicate that there was ongoing medical and physical neglect. One of the children had a severe respiratory problem requiring medications and a severely handicapped child had physical findings which indicated poor or no compliance with prescribed medications or physical therapy. As with nutrition and most other matters, medical matters were often deferred to David. His medical 'insights' appear to have impeded active care for the chronic medical condition of one of the children released from the compound. c. Conclusions: There is some reason to believe, based upon the information we have gathered over these two months, that the children living at Ranch Apocalypse were at risk for physical endangerment and medical neglect. Had the outcome been different, these impressions could have been appropriately investigated and acted upon. 5. Child Endangerment Immediately following the shoot-out, all of the children in the Ranch were endangered. The release of the 21 children removed them from that immediate threat. The mere fact that the parents of the remaining children kept them in the Ranch compound during the standoff is evidence sufficient for child endangerment. Had the standoff ended, this callous and thoughtless act on the part of their parents would have necessitated CPS intervention independent of any other allegation of abuse and neglect. SUMMARY: The 'Abusive Environment' at the Ranch Apocalypse' In summary, the picture that evolves from our work with the 21 children released from Ranch Apocalypse is clinically and 'legally' complex -- filled with grays rather than black and white. The data gathered by our team is enough for clinicians to say, as they develop their treatment plans, "this child was exposed to an abusive situation". The same information may not be enough for a CPS investigator to act on a charge of abuse. The group of children released likely experienced physical punishment as very young children, the girls were likely exposed to inappropriate concepts of sexuality, parental ties were undermined by David (see Appendix I), a whole variety of destructive emotional techniques were used including shame, coercion, fear, intimidation, humiliation, guilt, overt aggression and power. This combination of experiences will complicate the long term process of healing for these children. Furthermore it is critical for the families, case workers, therapists, teachers and other adults working with these children to understand the nature of their experiences. Finally, it should be stated that the parents and families of these children did not appear to be purposefully malicious to their children. These families, however, suspended their parental judgment and gave over critical elements of parenting to David Koresh. This proved to be a critical error by the parents. In some cases, parents did break away and take their children. Most, unfortunately, did not. The process by which the Branch Davidian group in Waco was transformed from an isolated, idiosyncratic religious community to a misguided, paramilitary community with admixtures of destructive sexuality and religiosity deserves further study. -> Send "subscribe snetnews " to [EMAIL PROTECTED] -> Posted by: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
