Ray Gordon
2005-09-29 20:59:53 UTC
Hypnofetish/Hypnorape: Two Reasons To BAN High School Stage Hypnosis
NOTE: before you consider the words of "certified hypnotherapists" or
anything less than an actual medical doctor, consider that it was but a few
short years ago that a CAT was able to get these certifications:
http://www.dreichel.com/dr_zoe.htm. Even though they now check to ensure
that humans are applying (by photo ID), the problem of "reciprocity" in
recognizing the credentials of other organizations persists.
It is currently a common practice in America's high schools for stage
hypnosis shows to be held at prom nights, grad nights, or even school
assemblies. Since most high schools receive federal funding, since
attendance at school is mandatory (with attendance at extracurricular
activities strongly encouraged), and since minors are in attendance at these
shows, ensuring that it is proper to hold them is without question in the
public interest. That the hypnotic state is a powerful one is not in
dispute, while the degree of power that comes with the state is disputed
even at the highest levels of research into hypnosis. Current evidence,
however, indicates that it may indeed be possible to use hypnosis to coerce
someone outright, but even if it is not possible, a secondary concern -- the
hypnofetish -- is sufficient to justify an all-out ban on stage hypnosis
shows where minors might be in attendance, especially if this is through
their schools.
Hypnosis is a unique science, more artistic and less quantifiable than most
scientific phenomena, but it is scientific nonetheless. It was likely
discovered when, a long time ago, someone noticed that while talking to
another person, the person began responding to their words as if they were
commands, and, intelligent creatures that we are, this process was refined
to the point where the hypnotic state could be intentionally induced in a
subject. Anyone who has seen a stage hypnosis show is well aware of what
happens to a person who is hypnotized: their sense of reality is strongly
altered by the hypnotist, to the point where they will generally do whatever
they are told, and to where they can often be made to hallucinate, literally
seeing that which is not there. Often, after awakening from hypnosis, the
subject has little or no memory of what transpired, and since we tend *not*
to forget what happens to us (at least not on such a large scale), that only
further underscores the concept of hypnosis as a highly altered state of
consciousness, more powerful even than drugs or alcohol, since most people
remember what they did while high or drunk (even if the memories are
somewhat fuzzy).
IS HYPNORAPE POSSIBLE?
The notion of "hypnorape" (raping someone after hypnotizing them to
eliminate their resistance) is a controversial one because of the mantra
repeated time and again by many hypnotists:
"All hypnosis is self-hypnosis. You can't be made to do anything while
under hypnosis that you would not ordinarily do."
This sounds reassuring, and it's what we *want* to hear, because the notion
of hypnosis as a "social WMD" that would allow one person to so thoroughly
influence and even brainwash another individual is upsetting. Nevertheless,
we see evidence that this is going on in our society, by some of the
otherwise incredulous, self-destructive behavior that people engage in,
often blaming the "influence" of another. Some even use more direct hints,
saying they were "under a spell" or what not. Is hypnosis the only way this
type of control can be achieved? Of course not: cults use everything they
can to control their rank and file, but this does not mean that hypnosis is
not one of the tools that is used, or that used by itself, by someone
sufficiently competent.
Hypnotists expect the debate to end with their all-hypnosis-is-self-hypnosis
claim, but a proper investigator would attempt to find the answer for
himself or herself before allowing anyone to "hypnotize" them into believing
something based solely on the statements of a third party who may or may not
have a hidden agenda. A better approach is to start from scratch, with an
open mind, and consider everything you find on the subject.
Many who claim that control is not possible with hypnosis simply lack the
ability to gain it. They will often claim that this is impossible because
it is impossible *for them.* This, however, does not mean that it is
impossible. For it to be possible, on the other hand, a few elements must
be present:
1. The hypnotist must be sufficiently talented.
2. The hypnotist must be motivated to gain control.
3. The subject must have his or her guard down in order to sufficiently
trust the hypnotist.
This has a few implications:
1. The claim that all-hypnosis is self-hypnosis is designed to get subjects
to let their guard down.
2. A malicious hypnotist has a definite interest in misinforming a subject
expressly for this purpose. This is why we cannot take the claim at face
value, as hypnotists who lack talent are speaking for themselves, while
those who have talent are not going to admit it because they don't want the
subject's guard to go up.'
3. If you buy into the belief that all-hypnosis is self-hypnosis, then if
someone claims they were raped by someone who hypnotized them (i.e., where
they were hypnotized into having sex against their will), then by
definition, you are calling the alleged victim a liar.
Recently, two arrests have been made involving "hypnorape." In the first
case, a Connecticut hypnotherapist pled guilty to reckless endangerment and
breach of the peace, for which he served a 90-day sentence (as part of the
agreement he also agreed not to practice and to be deported, which is likely
why the state did not seek more aggressive punishment) after being charged
with raping six women he had hypnotized, and videotaped having sex with him.
Following is a link to an article about how the six victims are pushing for
stricter regulation of hypnotists:
http://www.nhregister.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=14497021&BRD=1281&PAG=461&dept_id=517515&rfi=6
While high school shows themselves do not present an environment conducive
to rape, subjects who go on stage do wind up deep in hypnosis, and are much
easier to hypnotize a second time around. Thanks to the internet, a search
engine can be used for any "hypnogroupies" from the show to search for the
hypnotist on the web, where the damage can then be inflicted after the
critical first step of initial hypnosis is completed at the show. Many high
school (and other) stage subjects do not find out until it is too late
(i.e., after they have been hypnotized) just how powerful the hypnotic state
is, and can wind up craving a repeat performance by the hypnorapist, which
plays right into his or her hands (this is not gender-specific, and in fact
a gay or lesbian hypnopredator can operate even further under this radar as
they would not be suspected).
An even more compelling "hypnorape" case has been working its way through
the courts in Florida. In that case, a Florida doctor was charged with
raping a woman he had hypnotized. The victim stated in news articles that
she was unable to stop what was happening, and that she "would have gotten
out of there if [she] could have." In a very unusual move, the court in
that case rejected a plea-bargain that would have resulted in THREE
misdemeanor convictions which would have resulted in the loss of the
Defendant's medical license and up to *fifteen* years in prison. See the
following link for more information:
http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:FNbYH6VsOjAJ:www1.naplesnews.com/npdn/pe_editorals/article/0,2071,NPDN_14961_2650774,00.html+%22Alan+Ira+Richman%22+bargain&hl=en
A quote from the article is very revealing:
"The Fort Myers-based judge looked down from the bench on Wednesday, took
note of the plea bargain that would have removed a felony count from a
doctor charged with sexually assaulting a hypnotized woman patient in 2000,
and halted the downgrade to three misdemeanors. The latter would have
brought probation and the loss of the doctor's license; a felony conviction
could have brought up to 15 years in prison."
That the doctor was willing to accept up to ***fifteen*** years in prison
without going to trial speaks for itself, but even more compelling is that
the Florida court did not dismiss the charges, because they would have done
that if the court had held that hypnosis was not a possible instrument of
rape (you wouldn't charge someone with "spoon rape" because rape with a
spoon is not possible). What this means is that a court of law in Florida
has held that hypnosis *can* be used to rape someone, regardless of the
outcome of this case.
Another article, entitled "Hypnotist Assaults Student at Northwestern U.
Library," can be found at this link:
http://www.libraryjournal.com/index.asp?layout=article&articleid=CA329013&display=breakingNews
From the article: "Northwestern University police have reportedly launched
an investigation and increased patrols after several students reported they
were hypnotized by an unidentified man in the university library. At least
one of those students has claimed she was sexually assaulted."
Until the recent rape charges outlined above were brought, hypnotists would
often smugly dismiss any notion of hypnorape by stating that if it were
possible, "someone would have been arrested for it by now." Indeed, two
individuals have, despite the difficult nature of proving these charges.
God only knows how many other hypnorape victims fear coming forward due to
concerns about retaliation or not being believed. I can relate to the fear
of retaliation, because no less than a half-dozen members of the "internet
hypnosis community" have threatened me with violence (or even death) if I
continue speaking out. Dozens more routinely defame me, harass me, or make
intrusive contacts into my daily life, such as to my potential employers.
On the internet, claims of hypno-rape or other abuses involving hypnosis are
commonplace. Prior to Yahoo! shutting down its chatrooms, several women
(and some men) have claimed to be victims of hypnotic abuse, sometimes at
the hands of a stage hypnotist who perform in high schools.
Experiments involving hypnosis as an instrument of mind control are not new.
The book "Hypnosis: Questions And Answers" has an article entitled "Can
Hypnotized Patients Be Made To Do Anything?" In that article, the work of
Dr. George Esterbrooks was cited, where he concluded that while direct
manipulation was not easy, it was very easy to first convince the subject
that they were performing a benign act (such as firing a gun loaded with
blanks as part of a movie shoot) in order to get them to violate their own
moral code. Those who say that hypnotic subjects will not violate their
moral code ignore the "loophole" that one's moral code can be first altered
through hypnosis, or use the circular argument after the fact that their
moral code would have allowed the conduct anyway. In Estabrooks's
experiments, however, even military subjects were made to attack their
superior officers, something few of them would have done consciously.
In the article which can be found at the following link:
http://www.whale.to/b/bowart3.html
Dr. Estabrooks is quoted as having said in 1950 that "I can hypnotize a
man -- ****without his knowledge or consent*** -- into committing treason
against the United States." The CIA has since officially disowned this
research, but as stated earlier, it is in the best interest of any hypnotist
seeking mind control to convince their subjects that it is not possible so
that they let down their guard. It is not as if the CIA is exactly
straightforward about anything, let alone something this explosive. Many
documents relating to their research into mind control remain classified to
this day under the guise of "national security."
The internet is full of websites which offer to teach the user how to
perform covert hypnosis for the purposes of seduction. A simple search for
terms like "hypnotic seduction" or "NLP seduction" will lead you to many
places which claim explicitly that this is possible to accomplish with
minutes of what appears to be a normal conversation. Some NLP seduction
"gurus" have even made video demonstrations that show skeptical women
winding up tranced out.
The issue of hypnorape is a controversial one, and not so simply resolved as
many hypnotists would like the public to believe, since the potential for
abuse would cast a pall upon their business and hurt their revenue.
THE HYPNOFETISH
Even if hypnorape were not a concern, the existence of the "hypnofeitish" is
more than enough justification for banning high-school stage hypnosis. The
hypnofetish community has thrived on the internet, as those who have it and
who practice erotic hypnosis have never had a way to communicate under
society's radar as they do now. A search for "erotic hypnosis,"
"hypnodomme" or "hypnofetish" will show dozens or even hundreds of websites
offering erotic hypnosis, hypnodomination, or other hypnotic services
(usually phone hypnosis or audio/video recordings) related to the fetish.
By definition, a stage hypnotist with a hypnofetish will become sexually
aroused by the sight of his or her subjects, something which is unacceptable
when the audience consists of underage schoolchildren, many of whom will
find their own fetishes triggered by the stage hypnosis show, even if the
show itself is g-rated (since the hypnosis itself is the source of the
arousal). I know of at least one high-school stage hypnotist who routinely
participates in erotic-hypnosis chats on the web, and yet another who offers
hypnodomination services through her website.
Just as we wouldn't allow a sex show at a high school, we shouldn't allow
any stage hypnosis shows because to at least some members of the audience
(and in many cases the hypnotist himself or herself), the show will carry
with it a strong and very foreseeable sexual connotation, one which will
catch unsuspecting first-time subjects by surprise.
The Department of Education has the power to ban high-school stage hypnosis.
I urge those who share these concerns to contact them and urge them to take
action. A lawsuit seeking an injunction barring stage hypnosis shows at
high schools is also in the works. Until such time as that case is filed, I
urge those reading this public-domain article to contact school
administrators, parents' associations, and student groups to make them aware
of the risks they are placing in front of our children.
Ray Gordon
NOTE: before you consider the words of "certified hypnotherapists" or
anything less than an actual medical doctor, consider that it was but a few
short years ago that a CAT was able to get these certifications:
http://www.dreichel.com/dr_zoe.htm. Even though they now check to ensure
that humans are applying (by photo ID), the problem of "reciprocity" in
recognizing the credentials of other organizations persists.
It is currently a common practice in America's high schools for stage
hypnosis shows to be held at prom nights, grad nights, or even school
assemblies. Since most high schools receive federal funding, since
attendance at school is mandatory (with attendance at extracurricular
activities strongly encouraged), and since minors are in attendance at these
shows, ensuring that it is proper to hold them is without question in the
public interest. That the hypnotic state is a powerful one is not in
dispute, while the degree of power that comes with the state is disputed
even at the highest levels of research into hypnosis. Current evidence,
however, indicates that it may indeed be possible to use hypnosis to coerce
someone outright, but even if it is not possible, a secondary concern -- the
hypnofetish -- is sufficient to justify an all-out ban on stage hypnosis
shows where minors might be in attendance, especially if this is through
their schools.
Hypnosis is a unique science, more artistic and less quantifiable than most
scientific phenomena, but it is scientific nonetheless. It was likely
discovered when, a long time ago, someone noticed that while talking to
another person, the person began responding to their words as if they were
commands, and, intelligent creatures that we are, this process was refined
to the point where the hypnotic state could be intentionally induced in a
subject. Anyone who has seen a stage hypnosis show is well aware of what
happens to a person who is hypnotized: their sense of reality is strongly
altered by the hypnotist, to the point where they will generally do whatever
they are told, and to where they can often be made to hallucinate, literally
seeing that which is not there. Often, after awakening from hypnosis, the
subject has little or no memory of what transpired, and since we tend *not*
to forget what happens to us (at least not on such a large scale), that only
further underscores the concept of hypnosis as a highly altered state of
consciousness, more powerful even than drugs or alcohol, since most people
remember what they did while high or drunk (even if the memories are
somewhat fuzzy).
IS HYPNORAPE POSSIBLE?
The notion of "hypnorape" (raping someone after hypnotizing them to
eliminate their resistance) is a controversial one because of the mantra
repeated time and again by many hypnotists:
"All hypnosis is self-hypnosis. You can't be made to do anything while
under hypnosis that you would not ordinarily do."
This sounds reassuring, and it's what we *want* to hear, because the notion
of hypnosis as a "social WMD" that would allow one person to so thoroughly
influence and even brainwash another individual is upsetting. Nevertheless,
we see evidence that this is going on in our society, by some of the
otherwise incredulous, self-destructive behavior that people engage in,
often blaming the "influence" of another. Some even use more direct hints,
saying they were "under a spell" or what not. Is hypnosis the only way this
type of control can be achieved? Of course not: cults use everything they
can to control their rank and file, but this does not mean that hypnosis is
not one of the tools that is used, or that used by itself, by someone
sufficiently competent.
Hypnotists expect the debate to end with their all-hypnosis-is-self-hypnosis
claim, but a proper investigator would attempt to find the answer for
himself or herself before allowing anyone to "hypnotize" them into believing
something based solely on the statements of a third party who may or may not
have a hidden agenda. A better approach is to start from scratch, with an
open mind, and consider everything you find on the subject.
Many who claim that control is not possible with hypnosis simply lack the
ability to gain it. They will often claim that this is impossible because
it is impossible *for them.* This, however, does not mean that it is
impossible. For it to be possible, on the other hand, a few elements must
be present:
1. The hypnotist must be sufficiently talented.
2. The hypnotist must be motivated to gain control.
3. The subject must have his or her guard down in order to sufficiently
trust the hypnotist.
This has a few implications:
1. The claim that all-hypnosis is self-hypnosis is designed to get subjects
to let their guard down.
2. A malicious hypnotist has a definite interest in misinforming a subject
expressly for this purpose. This is why we cannot take the claim at face
value, as hypnotists who lack talent are speaking for themselves, while
those who have talent are not going to admit it because they don't want the
subject's guard to go up.'
3. If you buy into the belief that all-hypnosis is self-hypnosis, then if
someone claims they were raped by someone who hypnotized them (i.e., where
they were hypnotized into having sex against their will), then by
definition, you are calling the alleged victim a liar.
Recently, two arrests have been made involving "hypnorape." In the first
case, a Connecticut hypnotherapist pled guilty to reckless endangerment and
breach of the peace, for which he served a 90-day sentence (as part of the
agreement he also agreed not to practice and to be deported, which is likely
why the state did not seek more aggressive punishment) after being charged
with raping six women he had hypnotized, and videotaped having sex with him.
Following is a link to an article about how the six victims are pushing for
stricter regulation of hypnotists:
http://www.nhregister.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=14497021&BRD=1281&PAG=461&dept_id=517515&rfi=6
While high school shows themselves do not present an environment conducive
to rape, subjects who go on stage do wind up deep in hypnosis, and are much
easier to hypnotize a second time around. Thanks to the internet, a search
engine can be used for any "hypnogroupies" from the show to search for the
hypnotist on the web, where the damage can then be inflicted after the
critical first step of initial hypnosis is completed at the show. Many high
school (and other) stage subjects do not find out until it is too late
(i.e., after they have been hypnotized) just how powerful the hypnotic state
is, and can wind up craving a repeat performance by the hypnorapist, which
plays right into his or her hands (this is not gender-specific, and in fact
a gay or lesbian hypnopredator can operate even further under this radar as
they would not be suspected).
An even more compelling "hypnorape" case has been working its way through
the courts in Florida. In that case, a Florida doctor was charged with
raping a woman he had hypnotized. The victim stated in news articles that
she was unable to stop what was happening, and that she "would have gotten
out of there if [she] could have." In a very unusual move, the court in
that case rejected a plea-bargain that would have resulted in THREE
misdemeanor convictions which would have resulted in the loss of the
Defendant's medical license and up to *fifteen* years in prison. See the
following link for more information:
http://64.233.161.104/search?q=cache:FNbYH6VsOjAJ:www1.naplesnews.com/npdn/pe_editorals/article/0,2071,NPDN_14961_2650774,00.html+%22Alan+Ira+Richman%22+bargain&hl=en
A quote from the article is very revealing:
"The Fort Myers-based judge looked down from the bench on Wednesday, took
note of the plea bargain that would have removed a felony count from a
doctor charged with sexually assaulting a hypnotized woman patient in 2000,
and halted the downgrade to three misdemeanors. The latter would have
brought probation and the loss of the doctor's license; a felony conviction
could have brought up to 15 years in prison."
That the doctor was willing to accept up to ***fifteen*** years in prison
without going to trial speaks for itself, but even more compelling is that
the Florida court did not dismiss the charges, because they would have done
that if the court had held that hypnosis was not a possible instrument of
rape (you wouldn't charge someone with "spoon rape" because rape with a
spoon is not possible). What this means is that a court of law in Florida
has held that hypnosis *can* be used to rape someone, regardless of the
outcome of this case.
Another article, entitled "Hypnotist Assaults Student at Northwestern U.
Library," can be found at this link:
http://www.libraryjournal.com/index.asp?layout=article&articleid=CA329013&display=breakingNews
From the article: "Northwestern University police have reportedly launched
an investigation and increased patrols after several students reported they
were hypnotized by an unidentified man in the university library. At least
one of those students has claimed she was sexually assaulted."
Until the recent rape charges outlined above were brought, hypnotists would
often smugly dismiss any notion of hypnorape by stating that if it were
possible, "someone would have been arrested for it by now." Indeed, two
individuals have, despite the difficult nature of proving these charges.
God only knows how many other hypnorape victims fear coming forward due to
concerns about retaliation or not being believed. I can relate to the fear
of retaliation, because no less than a half-dozen members of the "internet
hypnosis community" have threatened me with violence (or even death) if I
continue speaking out. Dozens more routinely defame me, harass me, or make
intrusive contacts into my daily life, such as to my potential employers.
On the internet, claims of hypno-rape or other abuses involving hypnosis are
commonplace. Prior to Yahoo! shutting down its chatrooms, several women
(and some men) have claimed to be victims of hypnotic abuse, sometimes at
the hands of a stage hypnotist who perform in high schools.
Experiments involving hypnosis as an instrument of mind control are not new.
The book "Hypnosis: Questions And Answers" has an article entitled "Can
Hypnotized Patients Be Made To Do Anything?" In that article, the work of
Dr. George Esterbrooks was cited, where he concluded that while direct
manipulation was not easy, it was very easy to first convince the subject
that they were performing a benign act (such as firing a gun loaded with
blanks as part of a movie shoot) in order to get them to violate their own
moral code. Those who say that hypnotic subjects will not violate their
moral code ignore the "loophole" that one's moral code can be first altered
through hypnosis, or use the circular argument after the fact that their
moral code would have allowed the conduct anyway. In Estabrooks's
experiments, however, even military subjects were made to attack their
superior officers, something few of them would have done consciously.
In the article which can be found at the following link:
http://www.whale.to/b/bowart3.html
Dr. Estabrooks is quoted as having said in 1950 that "I can hypnotize a
man -- ****without his knowledge or consent*** -- into committing treason
against the United States." The CIA has since officially disowned this
research, but as stated earlier, it is in the best interest of any hypnotist
seeking mind control to convince their subjects that it is not possible so
that they let down their guard. It is not as if the CIA is exactly
straightforward about anything, let alone something this explosive. Many
documents relating to their research into mind control remain classified to
this day under the guise of "national security."
The internet is full of websites which offer to teach the user how to
perform covert hypnosis for the purposes of seduction. A simple search for
terms like "hypnotic seduction" or "NLP seduction" will lead you to many
places which claim explicitly that this is possible to accomplish with
minutes of what appears to be a normal conversation. Some NLP seduction
"gurus" have even made video demonstrations that show skeptical women
winding up tranced out.
The issue of hypnorape is a controversial one, and not so simply resolved as
many hypnotists would like the public to believe, since the potential for
abuse would cast a pall upon their business and hurt their revenue.
THE HYPNOFETISH
Even if hypnorape were not a concern, the existence of the "hypnofeitish" is
more than enough justification for banning high-school stage hypnosis. The
hypnofetish community has thrived on the internet, as those who have it and
who practice erotic hypnosis have never had a way to communicate under
society's radar as they do now. A search for "erotic hypnosis,"
"hypnodomme" or "hypnofetish" will show dozens or even hundreds of websites
offering erotic hypnosis, hypnodomination, or other hypnotic services
(usually phone hypnosis or audio/video recordings) related to the fetish.
By definition, a stage hypnotist with a hypnofetish will become sexually
aroused by the sight of his or her subjects, something which is unacceptable
when the audience consists of underage schoolchildren, many of whom will
find their own fetishes triggered by the stage hypnosis show, even if the
show itself is g-rated (since the hypnosis itself is the source of the
arousal). I know of at least one high-school stage hypnotist who routinely
participates in erotic-hypnosis chats on the web, and yet another who offers
hypnodomination services through her website.
Just as we wouldn't allow a sex show at a high school, we shouldn't allow
any stage hypnosis shows because to at least some members of the audience
(and in many cases the hypnotist himself or herself), the show will carry
with it a strong and very foreseeable sexual connotation, one which will
catch unsuspecting first-time subjects by surprise.
The Department of Education has the power to ban high-school stage hypnosis.
I urge those who share these concerns to contact them and urge them to take
action. A lawsuit seeking an injunction barring stage hypnosis shows at
high schools is also in the works. Until such time as that case is filed, I
urge those reading this public-domain article to contact school
administrators, parents' associations, and student groups to make them aware
of the risks they are placing in front of our children.
Ray Gordon