Sexual Abuse in the Pagan Community

I have accepted a commission from a Pagan magazine publisher to write an article about sexual abuse and pedophilia in the Pagan community. That should make me popular .

We've discussed this article at length and we're on the same page as to what it should be (factual, broad in scope and, most importantly, useful) and what it should not be (incendiary, salacious, or something that could result in a lawsuit). This is not a uniquely Pagan problem; this is a human issue, and that will be our point.

We will not name names except in those cases where the names of (adults) are a matter of public record, and in those cases we can only quote from sources such as the New York Times, completed court cases, etc. I know that law on this issue, more or less, and I know Pagan attorneys I can turn to when I'm unsure. I know many of the cases that have occurred in the past 10 years, and who to ask for more information on same. I'm trained in research techniques, so I can check my facts, and I'll have others check these, as well. As a former teacher I know what parents want to know which is always this: How can we keep our kids safe without scaring them to death? To my mind, the most important part of the article will not be the sections that talk about past abuse; something which anyone with any time spent in the community knows all about. (1) The section I'm most interested in writing will talk about avoiding abuse in the future. In other words, what practical steps can we take to insure the safety of our children and circle members. That will involve setting boundaries, and that can be hard for many Pagans. So it goes. We have to deal with these issues if we want safe groups and circles. Again, this won't make me popular, but I want to write it this way because I don't believe in stating a problem without also offering a solution.

I have six months to work on this. It is, to be frank, a humbling commission and a rather daunting prospect. Other, better writers have tackled this project and dropped out. Usually, some abuse had occurred in their own circles and they were too close to the problem. Ironically, my pendantry (my "teacher voice", if you will) which is a real drawback in my fiction is actually a plus here, as is my work in the recovery movement. But as much as I'm familiar with such stories, I'm not looking forward to doing the interviews - there is just so much pain and loss around this issue. Even so, I do feel this article is worth writing.

I want to do this task well. I want the article to be fair. I need to get it right, because this is important. We can protect our children better than we do now. If I'm lucky, this article will generate some much needed changes, some discussion, and, hopefully, some healing. I'd like it to be something useful that groups and circles can refer to when setting their own standards for protection and care. If I can do that, I'll be happy.

Wish me luck. Seriously. Light a candle or do whatever it is that you do in your tradition. I could use the help.

Sia

Note: The image is Impression: Sunrise by Claude Monet. It speaks of journeys, beginnings, and points of view.


(1) Ironically, what started us talking about this issue again is a scandal that few people do know about: The case against Marrion Zimmer Bradley and her husband, Walter Breen. Breen was serial pedophile, who was banned from certain SciFi conventions for his behavior towards young boys, and who later died in prison. Bradley is accused of knowing about this and enabling his behavior, and other abuses I can't mention here (see link below). I can't include the case against Breen in the article (as he was not Pagan). Nor can I discuss the behavior of Bradley, a Pagan icon, as she renounced Paganism at the end of her life, and became a Christian. In any case, she is no longer here to defend herself. All we have now are the accusations and the court depositions, which she gave in her last years (which are damning, in my mind, to say the least) and her SciFi series (which many readers think sexualize the children characters in very creepy ways). To be honest, I was never a fan of Bradley's writing ( I don't like her female characters, who tend to be victums or power hungry harpies) but I never had any idea that she had been so accused of so much abuse, so often. I doubt most Pagans do. For those who are interested, I suggest reading the transcripts. from her depositions and making up your own mind. Fair warning: They are disturbing.

Cultural Creatives & Change

Off the Shelf:

The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell

Cultural Creatives : How 50 Million People Are Changing the World by Paul H. Phd Ray and Sherry Ruth Anderson

Sia's Post:

Anne Hill wrote a wonderful essay called "A Peak Experience" which is about attending an event and hearing a chant used there that she wrote many years ago.

One of my favorite memories of MUSE Camp is the class Anne held on Pagan chants and songs in that wonderful Tibetan temple at Pema Osa Ling (then decorated with their 18 foot high Buddha and our four earthy Pagan altars in the corners). I loved watching Anne work, and watching her girls make art and play on the grounds and in the pool. Good days.

Her writing has reminded me again that, differences aside, I'm grateful to Starhawk and those others who, in the early, fragile, days of the movement kept the discussion of the divine feminine front and center long before it was ever trendy to do so. They dealt with ignorance, suspicion, and scorn, and made it possible for those of us who came later. We were then able to find Goddess-inspired art, spirituality, and language that we women could relate to. To share in the meaning of it all as sacred equals in the dance of life; can anyone who came of age in the 50's, 60's and early 70's forget what it finally felt like as spiritual seekers to realize that quest? And isn't that the point? Isn't finding meaning and connection at the very center of all we do?

If not for their work early on, Paganism could have been just another minor movement with an outdated, patriarchal focus or it could been left behind in some occult backwater instead of empowering and inspiring thousands of men and women (in a relatively short period of time, I might add) and influencing western culture in ways that have yet to be fully understood. Several historians (1) have noted the tremendous influence that these women have had on the Pagan, feminist, and ecology movements, and I think it is a fair (and necessary) point to make in this discussion we're having now.

The inclusion of men who fought to rise above their upbringing, as we had to do, and who brought their own unique creativity and energy to the party has also been invigorating and, for my part, most welcome.

For some time now, I've seen elements of Pagan thought, ritual and language entering into the zeitgeist and becoming a part of our cultural garden. (Read: The Tipping Point for a discussion of how such social change comes about). I can now talk about things like sacred space and honoring the seasons in one's life and raising girls with a sense of their own unique, spiritual place in the world with people who would never in their lives attend a Witch Camp. As you've noted, the discussion on much of what we hold sacred has now gone mainstream. The book Cultural Creatives is an excellent example of that:

The Wheel has turned radically since 2000. With such change, comes suffering, grief, challenge and renewal. We cannot deny or avoid this process but we can walk through that fire and come out stronger, more creative, more compassionate, deeper in spirit, more equal in relationship to others, and much, much happier.

What Pagans can do now is to ask themselves three very vital questions:

What Matters?
What Works?
What's Next?

The trick is not to fear the answers.

Change

While Anne wrestles with her feelings about Reclaiming, I am coming to terms with the fact that Full Circle may never again offer events like our fabulous Witches Balls, our Beltane Balls or even another MUSE Camp. The Full Circle Council is discussing changing our focus as we speak. Our senior staff have done this work for many years now and we're tired. To be honest, we're not getting any younger. Also, I now live in Oregon while others have left or are leaving California. Some of us now have other calls on our energy, money and time. As a result, Full Circle may now move from organizing such events to advising and assisting other groups who want to do such work. Others among us want us to switch our focus to the mid-term elections and registering voters via the Pagan Voting Project, while others want us to focus more on growing Spiral Steps.

Sia

(1) Ronald Hutton being prominant among them. I recommend reading his book Triumph of the Moon: A History of Modern Pagan Witchcraft

Undesirable Behavior in Covens & Circles: Group Discussions of "Dysfunctional Behavior & The Pagan Scene"

We sometimes get requests to print out copies of certain articles for group discussion. This note came into our office today:

"I just reread “Dysfunctional Behavior and the Pagan Scene”, and I must say that I've been urged to share it with my full moon circle. They are a group of lovely people however it is open to the public and we have had some problems when dealing with undesirable conduct. I was hoping to get your permission to print out copies of this essay to distribute to the group in hope that it will open a few eyes and empower others to say "that's enough". I would be more than happy to inform everyone that it is copyrighted material and to not copy it again without the author's permission."

I have to turn down requests to make print copies (or post entire articles on other websites). That said, I also offer an alternative to those groups who really are interested in having a serious discussion on these issues, and I note that a print versions of these essays – with discussion questions and a book list – will be forthcoming.

I answered her thusly: (1)
---------------

Dear -

I'm so glad that you liked the essay and that you find it helpful. Unfortunately, I must decline your request to make print copies for your group. I do this for three reasons. I also offer an alternative to those who are interested (see below):

Reasons:

1. These essays are legally promised for print publication, elsewhere.

2. I do not believe in stating the problem, without offering a solution, thus Part II is also vital reading. It is titled: Healthy Pagan Groups & Individuals.

3. The links within these essays are important reading and simply printing out a copy of the one essay in it's current form will not allow access to those.

Allowed Alternative:

My suggestion to group leaders and organizers who ask this question is that they send an email to their group, citing the links to both Part I and Part II at my list of articles at The Witches Voice. Ask the group to read the essays before the next gathering, and to bring their notes and questions. (By the way, if they can't be bothered to do that, you might also find that they can't be bothered to address this issue, either).

Links to: It's a Mystery:

Part I: Dysfunctional Behavior and the Pagan Scene

Part II: Healthy Pagan Groups & Individuals

Your group can read these, then gather for discussions at a later date. I recommend that the organizer use the chapter headings in these essays as topics to start the discussion. I've been told by several covens and circles that this is most effective.

Try to set the meeting within two weeks time of each reading, as this will keep the essays fresh in everyone's mind. I recommend two separate meetings, one per essay.

When you discuss these essays, don't just talk about the problem. Decide what you want (i.e. what does your group really stand for?) and figure out mutual ways to support that.

If you wish, a third meeting, what is called “A Group Conscious”, can be held in which the active members of your circle agree upon and then sets boundaries for the circle/coven as a whole. Include boundaries and consequences for violation of same. Make these clear to all members, and to any newcomers before they enter the circle. You'll find that many troublemakers "self select" themselves right out of any group that holds healthy boundaries and standards.

Those who wish to continue the healing process are welcome to join the members at an Earthwise Support Group called Spiral Steps.

FYI: A basic print edition of these collected essays, with notes for discussion and a book list, is in process. Look for it in 2007.

Please let me know if you have any other questions.

All good things,

Sia
Council Leader & Founder, Full Circle
Honor the Past, Celebrate the Present, Create the Future

cc: files

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1. I have always wanted to use that word in a sentence. Now I have.

Note: The photo (taken by Gene Blyth of AP) for this news story is of a fresco titled “Flora” which was rescued from the ashes of ancient Stabiae. Flora reminds us that we reap what we sow.

A tour of these artworks is coming to the U.S.

This lovely image is also used as basic for the logo for my favorite boticanal oil company, Primavera Oils. A more detailed version of this fresco can be found here.

Sacred Symbols & Sex Holidays

Well, bowl me over.

This week The Witches Voice has put up a list of articles designated as “Best of the Year” (to date). The caption reads:

Join us is celebrating the top 20 'most read' articles and essays of 2006

It was no surprise to see that the talented Mike Nichols was listed first, with an article titled “A Witch By Any Other Name”.

I was flattered to see that people like my piece on sacred sexual symbols and the celebration of women titled “Hearts & Flowers: Reclaiming Valentines Day”, and really delighted to see that Snakemoon’s wonderful piece, “I’m Pagan: Ask Me About My Sex Holiday!” (1) “was listed, as well.

I called her up to tell her the news, and said, “Now, aren’t you glad that I nagged you to submit that!.” She laughed. She knows how much I love her work.

Both of us had originally written these pieces for the FCE newsletter, and then sent them on to The Witches’ Voice for later (and larger) publication. I will continue to “nag” my good friend Snake to collect her essays into a book. She is working on another one as we speak, and it should be a good one. Stay tuned.

Among my personal favorites from that Vox list are:

We Never Told Him No: A real world look at Pagan parenting by Seichimet

Trial and Error of Grimoire Making by Nefabit

Sia

(1) The title comes from an old WitsEnd quote button, one of many that WitsEnd Productions made for Pagan & Sci Fi conventions.

Operation Cat Tail - Updates on the Ocelot scandal

Jessica Soule at the Auburn Citizen reports that a New York millionaire and wildlife collector is now being prosecuted in the same Oregon sting operation involving the Temple of Isis.

According to the report, Glenn Donnelly (the co-founder of DIRT Motorsports who sold the racing and entertainment firm, and the fairgrounds, for $4.3 million last year) "was one of eight parties slapped with federal charges or civil fines....The national investigation uncovered a multi-state effort to sell endangered animals and resulted in five criminal cases."

This is the part of the story that concerns me the most: "... the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service seized five ocelots, including two that died while being transported."

How were they transported, exactly?

What killed them?

The report goes on to say that "The animals were sold for nearly $5,000 each." (1)

This isn't the first time Mr. Donnely has had problems. Quoting the Auburn Citizen:

"In May 2005, a 22-year-old college student was mauled after reaching into a cage containing two Chinese Himalayan bears on Donnelly's property.

The woman was with a group of three people who reportedly went to Donnelly's property without permission to look at animals at what they believed to be a private 'zoo'

She sustained severe injuries, and her arm was later amputated below the elbow." (2)

The ocelot's species name come from the Mexican Aztec word "tlalocelot" meaning "field tiger." Ocelots come originally from Central and South America. Skilled predators, they thrived in forests and on grassy plains.

They grow to about twice the size of domestic cats and have dark spots with rings of tawny-yellow fur.

Ocelots became endangered for two reasons; they were hunted for their fur and they lost much of their natural habitat to development. They have been on the endangered list for over 30 years.

There is a plan for recovery:

To boost the number of cats, Environmental Defense has joined forces with The Nature Conservancy and Pronatura Noreste, a Mexican conservation group, to create a 130-mile-long, cross-border corridor to let the Texas ocelots breed with their Mexican counterparts.

The story continues to engender heated debate on the Pagan Lists and at Wren's Nest. No comment has come from the Temple thus far.

Sia

(1) Only 70 ocelots remain in the wild in the U.S.

(2) These bears are known as Moon Bears. They are, pound for pound, some of the meanest bears you'll ever meet, with the possible exception of the Malayan Sun Bear. Both types of bears come from Asia and are hunted for their gull bladders, paws and other body parts, which are used in Chinese medicine. As a result, these bears are now severely endangered.

Question: Is this man trying to help save endangered species or is he merely collecting rare wild animals for his own selfish pleasure? Time will tell.

Note: The picture above is a sculpture of Maat: Goddess of Truth and Justice, wearing her feathered headdress. The base is alabaster, and the sculpture itself is made out of lapis and gold. I've found this picture all over the web, without attribution, and I'appreciativete knowing
a) who took the picture and
b) who made the piece.

Isis Oasis Owner Fined $60,000 for Selling Ocelots

I was very sorry to hear (via Oregon Public Radio, yesterday afternoon) that the owner of Isis Oasis and her nonprofit group The Temple of Isis, have been fined $60,000 for conspiring to sell ocelots and falsifying government paperwork.

I stayed there on retreat with one of our council members in 2003. I loved the temple and our rooms at the lodge (which were beautiful and very comfortable). I also liked the pool and the grounds, but as a wildlife rescue volunteer I was very uncomfortable with the size of the cages they had for their wild cats. The volunteers there seemed to love the animals, but I did not believe the temple was meeting the physical and psychological needs that wild cats have for space, proper exercise, mental stimulation and interaction with others of their species. To abide by the letter of the (limited, muddleheaded) U.S. laws on caging is not the same thing as giving proper care to an animal; something I think any Earthwise person would consider. But there was little I could do beyond offering advice for larger caging. The property is extensive; they have the room to make such changes, but to my knowledge no such improvements have ever been made. The owner was also breeding ocelots with house cats and selling these as pets. I was not sure what long term problems the animals she produced would have. As a result, I never booked any of our Full Circle events or retreats there.

I'm very sad about this news. I know this retreat has many rescued animals and birds at their site, and that they did some good work with these. I hope that they can learn from this and turn things around, especially when it comes to caring for the African wildcats, ocelots, and other animals in their possession.

On the other hand, there is one organization out in California which works with wildcats which I can recommend wholeheartedly. They are Leopards, Etc.

KGW, our local news station, picked up the ocelot story today:

The U.S. Attorney in Portland has charged five people with selling an endangered species -- the ocelot, a rare cat that resembles a small leopard.Officials with the U.S. Attorney's office said a California spiritual group and several individuals did not follow the endangered species law that protects ocelots.

It's legal to receive an ocelot as a gift, but illegal to sell one.

The government said the California non-profit organization temple of Isis' conspired to sell ocelots and falsified government paperwork. The group is charged with selling ocelots to purchasers in Oregon, Florida, Minnesota and Texas over the past five years.

The organization admitted its guilt, and agreed to pay a $60,000 fine.

A corporation called Great Cats of the World, based in Cave Junction, Ore., was also charged with an illegal purchase of an ocelot.

It too entered a plea bargain and will pay a $10,000 fine.

The Oregon Zoo weighed in the issue this morning (see story at link). As expected, they are none too pleased. (FYI: They are just about to open an new exhibit on animals in the rain forest, including ocelots.)

I met a few of these wonderful creatures when I was in Belize in '95. We saw one very close up at their amazing zoo (which is rightly built more for the comfort of the animals then the visitors) and we were fortunate enough to meet and hold a rescued ocelot kitten at another location in the rain forest. Sadly, we also saw one very miserable adult ocelot kept in far too small a cage (so people could see it, they said) at a fancy resort where we had stopped to have lunch. The cat's frantic and never ending pacing was a sure sign of desperation and unease. To quote Dr. George Johnson on the changes at the St. Louis Zoo:

(In days past) You could not leave a visit there without a lingering feeling of sadness. I can to this day see the cats there pacing back and forth, back and forth, in hopeless, mad, circles.

We made our views known to the management of that resort, of course, but there was little else that we could do beyond telling every travel agent we knew what we thought of that awful place.

(Note: If you are considering a visit to Belize, take a look at Chaw Creek, an eco resort and spa that sits on 340 acres of the rain forest near the Macal river. The owners of Chaw Creek care deeply about the land, the culture, the children and the wildlife of that country, and it shows.)

Ocelots are so very beautiful. I can see why people would desire them, but it's ridiculous to think that you can keep one as a pet, and cruel to try it. LV told us that she was breeding these endangered animals for zoos and other rescue organizations around the country. Apparently there was more to this story than we knew. Five people from the temple have now been sited for hiding the sales as charitable contributions to their nonprofit Pagan group.

I wonder what will happen to their organization now? Will she sell the property or keep on going? Will other Pagan and women's groups continue to book their events there? Will she try and tell her version of this story? (1) If so, what will she say? Most importantly: What will happen to the other animals in her care?
So sad.

Sia

(1) The yearly event they hold is called the Convocation of Isis ("Dedicated to the Goddess Maat: Goddess of Truth and Justice"). The convocation has this note in their 2006 convention calendar: The Rev. Loreon Vigne (Owner of Isis Oasis and Co-Founder of the Temple of Isis) will also introduce her autobiography, The Goddess Bade Me Do It.

8/5/2006. Updates: I sent the story to Jason at the Wild Hunt Blog and to Wren's Nest . on 8/4. Both have picked up the story. I have yet to see comments from LV herself or the Temple.

I also posted this note to my Pagan list:

I've never before criticized another Pagan organizer in public, as I do not believe in Witch Wars. The most I have ever done is used their actions as cautionary tales in my essays, and left names out of it. I knew I would break that rule if it involved the abuse of either children or animals. I broke that rule today: http://fullcirclenews.blogspot.com/

As Terry Practchett notes: "A witch speaks for those who cannot speak for themselves", and that includes these wild cats. Pagans who now book events at this place will have to ask some hard questions of the Owner, and not just play on the temple grounds....She, of course, has a right to tell her side of it. Lets us hope that she does. If so, I'll print that, too. Let us also hope that she cleans up her act for the sake of the other animals in her care.

Sia

The picture above is of Zeus, a baby ocelot, at 5 weeks old. He was born to parents who live in the Texas Zoo. The news story on Zeus comes from the Victoria Advocate and notes that "In Texas, ocelots once ranged in the South Texas brush country and the southern Rio Grande Valley. In 1995 there was an estimated 80 to 120 ocelots in Texas, with three dozen in the Laguna Atascosa National Wildlife Refuge near Brownsville."