Treatment Abuse, Behavior Modification, Thought Reform > Facility Question and Answers
Roloffs
Che Gookin:
In that case let me revise my question:
Do the facilities utilize a common methodology of treatment/mistreatment?
lorrispickelmire:
The old ones all did, I do not know about some of the newer ones, but I would venture to say they still do. They are based on what they call biblical dicipline, what they really mean is that they believe in the scripture that says, "spare the rod, spoil the child." They believe in breaking the childs spirit, but not to build it back up, to create a mindless zombie that will follow the rules of the fundamental Baptist belief system without question. Roloff was a God to the people who ran and are still running these homes. When you first come in to the program if they find out you have been abused or molested they tell you it is completely your fault and to never speak of it again. Newcomers are threatened with paddlings known as licks for offenses such as crying. They keep a very strict schedule, and at least an hour each day is spent quoting the same 27 chapters of the King James version of the bible aloud (chanting), I still can quote them from memory 21 years later. Licks are a multiple times a week occurance for most. Other forms of punishment include kneeling for hours at a time (sometimes on salt or with a pencil under each knee), sitting on the wall (stress position), holding bible straight out to your sides two or three in each hand, confinement (having to walk around with your head down and raise your hand and be given permission to speak), and lockup (isolation). They have also been known to withhold food, but I am not sure this is a punishment, because the food was horrible. During the time I was there we had a diabetic girl go into shock and nearly die. One staff member with a conscience snuck her out to the hospital. We were not allowed medical treatment of any kind. Contact with parents was not allowed for first month, then consisted of letters which were read coming and going, and permanent marker was used to black out anything deemed inappropriate. One 2 day visit at 6 months in program, and another when you reached 1 year. Phonecalls once per month that were monitored and disconnected if deemed inappropriate. You were taught to stand and give your testiphony on demand or face punishment for rebelliousness. No music was allowed, no books except for the bible, no tv, no makeup, no pants on girls, no haircuts or jewelry on girls. Fat girls were not fed, anorexic girls were force fed. Girls were forced to do things like brush their teeth for hours as a punishment for asking more than once for a new toothbrush. Then there were the flat out beatings if the dorm parents found you rebellious. I don't know if this is what you were looking for, I am sorry it got away from me.
Che Gookin:
Did they ever use extended prayer sessions as a punishment?
lorrispickelmire:
If you were unfortunate enough to be placed in lockup, the dorm father would come up every evening with paddle in hand, and pray with you for a long time, if you were found to be repentent enough, you were let out, if not you were given 20+ licks, left a peanut butter on bread sandwich and remained in lockup to reflect for another day. This could go on for weeks. A board with holes in it used on a person everyday for weeks will leave your rearend looking more like hamburger than a human butt. If you were dumb enough to dodge a few licks, the paddle was brandished more like a bat, and you ended up with more severe injuries.
lorrispickelmire:
I want to clarify, I now have a list of 20 Roloff related facilities, and I was only in one of these various homes, so cannot really speak for all, but I belong to groups for survivors of several of them and most of the stories are the same. I speak of the lockup experience as well as other punishments from personal experience. I understand there are people who were in the homes that do not believe, feel, or remember things the same way that I do, but I am also well aware of the brainwashing that took place even during our sleep, and am not suprised that some have come out with much different stories.
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