Participatory action research on help-seeking behaviors of self-defined ritual abuse survivors: A brief report

The existence of ritual abuse (RA) is the subject of much debate. RA survivor perceptions of seeking help have not been explored, and studies have yet to utilize self-defined survivors as collaborative researchers. This study addresses both issues. Participatory Action Research (PAR) was utilized to enable twelve survivor researchers design a survey and semi-structured interview, to investigate RA survivor experience of seeking help. Sixty-eight participants completed the survey and twenty two were interviewed. A group approach to thematic analysis aided validity and reliability. Participants reported experiencing disbelief and a lack of RA awareness and quality services. In contrast, PAR was reported as educative and emancipatory. Research needs to explore the benefits of PAR for survivors of different forms of oppression.