The Christchurch Civic Creche Case
	News Reports Index
	1994 Index
	The Press November 11, 1994 Civic Creche abuse group granted $1300 by Martin van Beynen A group started by a parent who believes her son was ritually abused at the Christchurch Civic Childcare Centre has been granted $1300 by the Lottery Grants Board. The End Ritual Abuse society was formed in September and asked for $28,000 from the board for an inner-city office, a computer, and a full-time ritual abuse worker. The group also applied for $6000 from a separate Internal Affairs fund but this has been declined. The regional committee that decided the- application granted the money so the society could continue to produce a newsletter. The newsletter was needed for "more information and discussion about this whole area of abuse", the committee said. The bulletin would increase awareness and understanding, it said. ERA was started by a woman whose son attended the crèche for two years. The boy told Social Welfare staff that children were allegedly placed naked in a circle and kicked by adults wearing costumes. He is also said to have told his mother about being buried in a coffin and splattered in blood. Professor Michael Hill, a sociologist at Victoria University, said yesterday that believers in ritual abuse around the world had yet to produce any corroborating evidence. "All ERA does is repeat misinformation from the United States. It does not engage in discussion. It is a newsletter for true believers. "I'll use the newsletter in my research to show just how crazy some people are," he said. "If the Lottery Grants Board is going to support true believers then groups like the flat-earthers should be able to go along and get some money too." The regional committee could not be contacted yesterday.