Supernatural Support Groups: Who Are the UFO Abductees and Ritual‐Abuse Survivors?

Abstract

In the 1980s two different groups emerged that exhibited a strikingly similar combination of the quasi‐religious and psychotherapeutic—UFO abductees and ritual‐abuse survivors. Both movements focused on healing members from victimization they had experienced at the hands of beings of often supernatural power. Further, both movements attempt to use techniques developed in psychotherapeutic circles, such as hypnosis, art therapy, and role playing, to recover “repressed” memories at the hands of these abusers. This article presents the results of surveys of 55 UFO abductees and 51 ritual‐abuse survivors. Both UFO abductees and ritual‐abuse survivors are compared to the general population in terms of their gender, age, race, marital status, education, and occupation. It is determined that the demographics of these two fledgling movements closely mirror those of other NRMs.

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