Jean Riseman

A headshot of Jean Riseman. She is looking directly at the camera and smiling. She has shoulder length, straight white hair and is wearing a burgundy top.

Interview by Jen, August 2024

Jean Riseman is an activist, polyfragmented multiple, and survivor of Satanic ritual abuse and government/academic mind control (RA/MC). She is also a co-founder of GrassRoots and someone I am proud to call a friend. During her 85+ years on this planet, she has contributed in many different ways to the survivors’ community, from providing resources and information on a variety of RA/MC related topics, to sharing her artwork and poetry.

In her early fifties, Jean began to have flashbacks and realized she was a survivor of RA/MC. She found her deep depression, feelings of alienation, and lack of confidence began to lessen as she dealt with her past and healed. In turn, she has helped many other survivors to heal through her various projects. A retired clinical social worker, Jean also worked with some ritual abuse clients in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

What was it like to discover in the 1980s that you had a ritual abuse background?

It was very different from today. People were talking deeply about their experiences, thanks, I believe, to AA (Alcoholics Anonymous) and the Women’s Movement. It was suddenly allowed to talk about forbidden things. People talked about sadistic child abuse and multiplicity one-on-one, in small groups, and even on TV. Journals and zines appeared, and conferences soon followed. Books, of course, took longer to write and publish, but there was a new body of literature forming on RA/MC.  Survivors started to meet together in small groups.  It only took me three weeks to find another SRA (Satanic ritual abuse) survivor! It was an exhilarating time.

Then, the FMSF (False Memory Syndrome Foundation) came along and persuaded the media, the courts, and society as a whole that ritual abuse was simply a “moral panic.” They had great PR people and aggressive lawyers who went after therapists and organizations sympathetic to survivors. We are still feeling the effects of their fear tactics today. I believe, though, that we are starting to see a backlash to their backlash – meaning more survivors are speaking out, videos/podcasts are being made, and the general public is starting to believe us.

What started you on your path to healing?

Desperation! For months, I was flooded by flashbacks and had no idea what to do. I told myself that my only job was to not kill myself, and that I could figure out the rest later. My unconscious knew what I was capable of, and guided me each step along the way.  Things slowly changed. I wasn’t aware of the changes at first, just as a kid isn’t aware of getting taller every day. 

You created a respected website, ra-info.org, edited an anthology written by survivors, ran Survivorship for twelve years, started a blog (ritualabuse.wordpress.com), and organized groups for survivors and therapists working with RA/MC survivors. And now you are active in GrassRoots, which you co-founded with Rivers and Leni. What drives you to do so many different things?

Because I’m selfish! If I want something to make my life easier and it isn’t available, I just start it. For example, I wanted a lending library in a real building. But I was worried about vandalism. So, I collected titles and posted bibliographies on the Internet. That was the beginning of ra-info.org, in 1993, I believe.

Incidentally, you can thank the invention of the COVID vaccine for the creation of GrassRoots. I wanted to celebrate finally getting vaccinated. A nice dinner wasn’t enough, so I organized a poetry reading along with Rivers and Leni. When we saw how happy people were to be together, we formed GrassRoots to put on other events for and by RA/MC survivors.

What was the response to your work?

It varied. Some things I created were needed, some not so much. For example, I thought a toy swap would be great, but I forgot that inner children don’t always age and outgrow their toys. They weren’t bored and didn’t want to give them up. Everyone decided to keep their toys and we had a picnic instead. As for the outside world, it pretty much ignores me. Which suits me fine – I’d rather be left alone than harassed.

What’s your greatest joy in life?

Ice cream. Chocolate. Flowers. Cats. Friends and extended family. Seeing people grow. Being with people like me, people who “get” RA/MC/OEA (Organized Extreme Abuse).

What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind?

I hope that somebody adopts ra-info.org and keeps it going. And I am confident that GrassRoots members will step up and make sure it remains vital and strong. Other than that, anything significant I have said or written ripples out. If it affects one person, that person will share with others, who will, in turn, share with others. The legacy takes care of itself.